Compass
by words-with-dragons
Summary: SEQUEL TO ANCHOR. There are nothing but stormy seas ahead for Kai and Jinora, with her disapproving father, an unexpected addition to the crew, and Kuvira capturing and jailing more pirates than ever. Now, the only compass Kai and Jinora have to guide them home is each other. [Kai/Jinora] Rated T for language and mentions of abuse
1. Six Months Later

**A/N:** i am going to attempt chapter titles for this. go me. so, this is Anchor's sequel - which you have must read or you shall be very confused. this story is going to have a lot, and very likely be longer than Anchor since there's a lot more characters in here - the original crew members, new antagonists, and a bunch of people from Jinora's life - friends, and family, and other stuff.

so, let's prepare for the stormy seas ahead together.

* * *

 **Compass**

Chapter One: Six Months Later

* * *

There was a loud chorus of laughter as the crew of the _Waterbender_ walked back aboard their ship. Their Captain led the way, tall with dark skin and a messy undercut, his arm wrapped around a slender woman's waist. She was the only woman among the entire crew of 26, but she was at perfect ease despite being significantly smaller than all the men, the sole exception being a gangly, skinny teenager.

"Alright men," Kai said with a grin. "Time to hit the hay. Early start tomorrow, remember?"

His men mumbled together in agreement, and yawning from a fun night out on the town, they headed across the deck and to the doors that led below decks.

Kai hung back, glancing at Jinora as she looked up at the stars. Her loose curly hair was almost black in the darkness of the night, choppy and short and framing her face nicely. The starlight lit up her brown eyes, illuminating her snub nose and full lips. Kai couldn't help but smile, and could practically see the gears turning in her head: the slight slant of her brow showed that this was her 'deep-in-thought' face, and he wondered for a moment if he should disturb it.

She turned her head towards him and wrinkled her nose. "What're you staring at?"

"You," he shrugged, pulling her closer. She rested her head against his shoulder. "What're you thinking about?"

"The stars." She hooked her fingers around the anchor pendant hanging from his neck, nearly identical to the one she wore. The dark stone stood out against the white of her blouse and the pale brown of her leather girdle. "Us. All good things," she added with a yawn.

"As long as I don't have to worry," he smiled.

"If anything, I'm the one who has to worry about you." Her hands left his necklace and went up to the collar of his shirt, never buttoned all the way up. She tugged softly on his collar and he happily obliged, leaning down for a kiss as she leaned up. Kai smiled against her lips as he wrapped both his arms around her waist. Jinora had pulled away for only a moment when she let out a little squeal, startled as Kai lifted her a few inches off the ground. "Wha-? Put me down!" Her annoyance was ruined by the way she couldn't help but laugh.

"As Captain, I'm pretty sure I'm the one who gives the orders," he teased, but he set her down anyway.

"Idiot," she said fondly, lightly smacking his chest.

"Your idiot," he reminded her.

She snorted. "Unfortunately. Now let's get inside, dork, you have to get up early. And I shall be staying in bed."

"Ugh, fine," Kai took her hand as she stepped out of his arms, and they headed below decks together. They crept quietly past the two large rooms that served as the sleeping quarters for the majority of the the crew, past the old cabin boy's room now collecting dust, and finally to the Captain's quarters at the end of the hall.

Kai pulled open the door and pulled out a fresh pair of pants from his dresser. Jinora slipped out of her clothes and into an old shirt of his that acted as a short nightgown before crawling into bed. She sank into the mattress, a soft sigh escaping her parted lips. As soon as Kai had been allowed to move out of the infirmary, and back into his room, he had insisted on getting a new mattress and bed. His reasoning had been for her comfort, as he had shared his bed with past lovers, and he wanted a new one for her, and her alone. A fresh start. One last bed.

Kai got into bed beside her, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. "G'night Gyatso." He then promptly buried his face in his pillow.

Jinora turned on her side slightly so she could still see him, her hand reaching down his back and traced her fingers over the scar that trailed down from his shoulder blades to his mid-torso. It was his newest scar, from his battle with Zaheer, his body already littered with others. She had taken it upon herself to memorize each one. Kai hummed contentedly under her touch.

She retracted her hand and folding her arm under herself.

It was hard to believe sometimes that this had been her life for the past six months, so different from years of uncomfortable corsets, refined dinners and opinions that meant nothing. Now, she rose and went down with the sun, ate meals that were sloppily but lovingly cooked, mopped and cleaned until her arms hurt. She spent hours staring at the horizon and marvelling at all the different colours the sea and sky could turn. Using a sword or knife had become second nature to her, and her days were full of the loud, deep laughter of her crew-mates. The beaten down ship was her home, her crew her family, and her Captain the man she loved as deeply as the ocean.

"Good night Captain," she murmured drowsily, the slight sway of the ship rocking her to sleep like a lullaby.

* * *

Jinora felt the bed creak as Kai's weight shifted. She rolled over slightly and curled more into the blankets and her pillow. She heard Kai shift into a sitting position, and felt his forearm press into her back as he leaned over and softly kissed her cheek. When he went to pull away she grabbed his arm.

"Stay," she mumbled, blinking sleepily.

"Can't," he said regretfully, yawning a little. "Trust me, I wish I could." There were few things Kai enjoyed more than curling up in bed with her late into the morning, and falling back asleep with her in his arms. But, unfortunately, it was also a rare thing: a pirate's work was never done, and especially with spring on it's way, they needed an early start. Spring was the most prosperous time of the year for trading as the waters defrosted, besides autumn with the harvest season.

"Hmm, fine," Jinora grumbled as he walked over to his dresser. Hers was beside his, although much neater. He pulled open his top drawer and slipped on a fresh shirt as her arm curled around his pillow. "I'll cuddle with your pillow instead."

Kai smiled. "I'll make sure Daw sets some breakfast aside for you, while you get some beauty sleep - not that you need it, love."

"Sap," she said, trying to sound annoyed. She knew that Kai knew perfectly well that his newest term of endearment for her - love - made her heart melt and her crankiness practically evaporate on the spot. "But thank you."

"I'll see if I can come back later," he promised, kissing the top of her head. "You still have plenty of time to sleep though. I don't even think the sun's up yet." And, he noted, the majority of his crew was still snoozing away as well. Too bad as Captain he didn't get that luxury.

Sure enough, the dining hall was practically empty except for Daw (and whoever else was on breakfast duty), who was getting a head-start on breakfast of bread and jam, and Otaku, already pouring over some maps and articles. Kai jogged up the stairs and out onto the deck, where the sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, the dark water slowly turning into a lighter shade of blue even as grey clouds gathered overhead. The cold air, the last remnants of winter, snapped him awake.

Skoochy was by the steering wheel having a smoke, and offered Kai a cigarette. Kai took it, mostly for the warmth. "We're arriving in Port Bosco tomorrow," Skoochy said, studying him. "You nervous?"

"Me, nervous?" Kai said. Skoochy frowned at him. "Kind of. It's no secret Gyatso's dad hates me."

"I could smack him for you," Skoochy offered.

Kai snorted. "Thanks Skooch, but I don't think that's going to work. You can't smack everyone who badmouths me, y'know."

"I can try," Skoochy shrugged.

Kai looked at the cigarette in his hand and pinched it to douse the fire. "So, what are you doing up? Yung was originally on steering duty."

Skoochy took a drawn-out puff of his cigarette, the smoke mingling with the mist of his breath in the cool air. "Nightmare." Skoochy didn't need to say anything else. Even if Kai had no idea (well, he had some, each more horrifying than the last) of what Skoochy had gone through as a slave, he more than understood that there were some things too terrible to talk about, his own past a prime example. "Couldn't sleep, so I figured I'd give him a break."

"Longshot has a potion-thingy that helps with sleeping," Kai said. "It might help."

Skoochy almost smiled. "I'll think about it. And Jinora's dad is gonna come around, you'll see."

Kai snorted again. "I don't know about that, but hopefully he'll be able to accept it, eventually."

"My offer to smack him still stands," Skoochy pointed out, and this time Kai laughed.

"And my answer is still no." The sun had risen steadily over the water, the bottom curve just brushing the waves. Kai glanced back over his shoulder. "Think breakfast is ready yet?"

"Probably not for another half hour. Otaku says we're right on schedule, and Imaru had lookout duty so you don't have to worry about Momo for once," Skoochy explained.

"I'll start waking the rest of the crew so they're up once the food's ready, then," Kai said, and clapped Skoochy on the shoulder. He headed back down stairs towards the sleeping quarters and went from bed to bed, rousing the men awake. He smiled softly when he saw Momo and Pabu were all tangled together in their pajamas and bed sheets, Momo's cheek resting on Pabu's shoulder, a small line of drool trailing from his mouth. Kai woke them up last.

Momo blushed furiously when he realized he had been drooling. Pabu smiled fondly and ran a hand through Momo's already messy mop of dark curls. "You're adorable."

Kai smiled. "Lovebirds, I also had to get out of bed today, so come on, get on with it."

Momo groaned but dragged himself out of bed all the same. "Is Jinora still sleeping?"

"No," came Jinora's voice from the doorway as she leaned against it, her arms crossed over her chest. She was still wearing Kai's shirt (which really was her shirt now, after more than six months of use) but had slipped on some black type of leggings-pants underneath. "But I smelt pancakes, so," she shrugged.

"I think you love food more than you love me," Kai wrinkled his nose at her, wrapping his arms around her waist as Momo and Pabu trailed behind him, hand in hand.

"So what if I do?" Jinora teased, a content sigh escaping her lips as he nuzzled his face into her neck.

"Breakfast is ready!" Daw hollered from the dining hall.

Kai pressed a quick kiss to the crook of her neck before pulling away and taking her hand, the two couples walking to the dining hall together.

The Captain took his usual seat at the head of the long, wooden table, Jinora off to his right, his first mate Yung to his left. The pudgy man already had a plate of pancakes in front of him, just like the majority of the crew, their bodies and chairs crammed in between the wall and the table. In between the slim spaces, Daw the cook's lean figure weaved in and out, his bald head slightly gleaming with sweat. Feeding 25 people, not including himself and even with other's help, was a large job, that he was always up to the task for.

Lefty was sitting in between Imaru and Appa, his pegleg removed and propped up against the foot of his chair. Momo slid into his chair beside Appa, and beside the teen was Pabu. Across was Skoochy and Ryu. Next to Yung, distracted as always by some book or document, was Otaku, chewing absentmindedly on a pancake as he flipped the page of the newspaper (a messenger hawk must have delivered it after Kai went below decks).

"Anything interesting?" Jinora asked, digging into her pancakes.

"Re-election is coming up in the fall," Otaku answered, scrunching up his nose. "Your father's running, of course, as is Asun Chow, a lawyer."

Jinora stiffened. "Oh." Asun Chow was LingShi Chow's father, Jinora's thankfully ex-fiancé. If he was running against her father, he surely would undo all of Tenzin's hard work, to further his own agenda. Anyone who's son was a man like LingShi couldn't have been a good role model.

"Any news on who has the public's favour right now?" Kai asked quickly, grabbing Jinora's hand under the table and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Too soon to tell, but nothing seems to have brought the Governor's favour down," Otaku explained.

Well, the scandal of the Governor's daughter running off with a pirate Captain had died down after a few months. The tabloids had their run with it, but Kai had been sure to keep them out at sea for as long as possible. Besides, his first month after his fight with Zaheer had been full of focussing on his recovery and health. It took almost two months for him to even be well enough to leave the ship. Without any new scandalous, and fabricated, details, the rumours and articles had died out. Yung, Appa and Imaru (the latter two especially well-tuned to the goings on of gossip) had made sure to keep any of the articles out of his reach, thanks to Longshot's insistent, "Stress is bad for your health."

Kai was startled when Jinora dabbed his nose with her syrup-covered finger. "What the-"

"I hate seeing you sad, Captain," she said cheerfully, as Daw handed Kai a napkin. "And politics are boring."

Kai wiped the syrup off his nose, trying to stay annoyed at her. "Says the most boring person ever."

Jinora snorted. "Said by the most arrogant person ever, who also has terrible grammar."

"You two are so mushy," Ryu said in his usual monotone, trying to look annoyed, but his lips twitched upwards anyway.

Jinora laughed. "Thanks Ryu, your kind words are always very appreciated." This time Kai laughed, a deep, loud sound that caused warmth to spread through her chest. God, she loved his laugh, especially when she was the cause of it.

There was a faint pitter-patter sound, and as sleepy as she still was, Jinora recognized it as the sound of rain hitting the deck. It seemed like today would be a 'stay-inside-where-it's-warm-and-dry' day, which were nice little relaxing treats, more common in the winter months, Jinora had learned. They had headed down South for the winter to avoid the blizzards and ice, but they had had a fair share of bitterly cold days full of strong winds and freezing rain.

"Oh, you're in the papers too Cap," Otaku reported, after getting to the back page. "Wanted posters."

Otaku held up the last page and a black-and-white photo of Kai, just a little bit younger than his current age of nearly 23, stared back at them, his mouth curved upwards in a slight smirk. A few more posters were plastered onto the back, such as Hama, a known slave trader, Captain Korra of the _Avatar_ , and Captain Quil of the Blood Moon Pirates. There was a long list of wanted names in tiny print, and then a large advertisement, taking up half the page.

There was a large _K_ , and a picture of a serious looking woman with her hair pulled back in a tight bun. _We need you!_ the slogan read in thick, clean letters. _Want to end the pirates' reign of terror? Want to prove yourself a hero? Then join the A.P.A. not tomorrow, but today!_

"You've never come close to Kuvira have you?" Jinora asked, slightly worried. Despite being not one of the worst pirate crews, they were one of the more notorious. The Anti-Pirate Agency had never seemed like too big a threat, even if she knew Kuvira was gaining support, and fundings from various governments across the four nations. Tenzin had withheld, for obvious reasons, after Jinora had pointed out that she could been seen as an accomplice and therefore dragged into a nasty legal situation, if Kai or the crew was ever captured and jailed. Still, it was enough to be a nagging little voice in the back of her mind.

"No," Kai said, shrugging and obviously not worried. "We ran into one of her ships, eh, three or four years ago, but we're pretty adept at avoiding her forces. Besides, Kuvira has other, more dangerous pirates to worry about, like Quil and other slave traders. Don't worry about it Gyatso, we're big, tough men."

Jinora chose not to mention that the other day Momo and Imaru had cried over a wilting flower the latter had kept in a vase for only a week. "You're dorks," she said instead, poking him in the chest. None of the crew spoke up to correct her, and in fact Otaku seemed rather pleased by the label. God, she loved her boys, no matter how rowdy or drunk they could get sometimes, they were her crew, a second family.

Kai grabbed her hand and kissed her finger. "C'mon." He stood up from his chair, still holding her hand, and Jinora curiously let him lead her out of the dining hall and up the stairs to the doorway that led onto the deck, now slick with rain. He opened the door and leaned against the frame, looking out at the wet deck and the rainy day.

Jinora nestled herself in his arms. "Think there'll be a storm?" she wondered.

He rested his head on top of hers. "It doesn't seem to be strong enough," he replied. "Besides, I don't want to be late arriving in Port Bosco."

Jinora found his hands and laced her fingers through his, giving his hands a squeeze. "My parents would understand."

Kai snorted. "Your mother might." He sighed softly, holding her tighter. "Are you nervous?"

"A little," she admitted. "I don't care if they like my decision or not, but I would like to be on good terms with them. To be honest, I'm mostly worried about you. It's going to be a lot of people over a pretty short couple of days, and some of them are definitely going to be less than kind."

"Like your dad," Kai said.

"Yeah," she sighed. "But we'll get through this, together. He's the one who needs to change, not you."

There was silence, except for their quiet breathing the sound of rain hitting the deck and the ocean around them, before Kai asked, "Let me go through the names again?"

Jinora smiled. "Go ahead Captain."

"Ikki's your sister, she's 18, Meelo is 16, and Rohan is 10. There also might be your friends from secondary school, ShenShen Sesi, Pfannee Wen and Miki Nanuq, but they still haven't confirmed if they're coming or not. Friday will just be your parents and Rohan, Ikki and Meelo are coming down from boarding school in the evening, and staying over the weekend," Kai recited, not for the first time, but Jinora thought it was sweet Kai was so determined to remember all of it.

"Perfect," she said admiringly. Kai let out a sigh of relief.

"Good. I just...I want to make this as easy on you as possible," he said, frowning slightly.

"Then just stay with me," Jinora requested, twisting around in his arms to face him. "Hey," she lifted his chin, cupping one side of his face with her other hand. He leaned into her touch, his lips tugging upwards as she leaned in to kiss him. "Brighten up Captain, I don't like seeing you sad."

They stayed out until the rain let up, and then headed back down below decks. What would come would come, and they'd meet it together.


	2. The Gyatso Estate Part I

**Compass**

* * *

Chapter Two: The Gyatso Estate Part I

* * *

Air Temple Islands' long white spire poked over the horizon as the _Waterbender_ rounded the bend of Port Bosco's coastline. As the tower grew closer, it was easier to see the large mansion made of gleaming white stone nestled a few gardens away from it. The mansion was definitely as tall as the crow's nest, and three times as big as the entire ship.

Kai whistled. "That is a _big_ house."

Jinora didn't smile. "Yeah," she said quietly, taking his hand. The two, as well as the rest of the crew, had gathered on the deck with Skoochy at the steering wheel. The docks of the island came into view, and Jinora could make out the small figures of her mother and father. They seemed to be talking, and Jinora had a good idea of what when it looked like her father had swallowed something sour.

Her palms grew sweaty as the ship slid next to the docks, and Appa and Imaru lowered the anchor into the water, while Ryu and Skoochy and Pabu wrapped rope around the deck's posts . Kai gave Jinora's a reassuring squeeze, and the rest of his crew a grateful look, as Imaru and Lefty set down the plank and they walked down onto the docks where Pema and Tenzin were waiting for them.

Jinora's parents looked largely the way Kai remembered them: her father's rim-rod posture, stern, lined face and sharp beard, with even sharper eyes. Her mother looked far more welcoming, a warm smile already spread across her round face, her hair so like her daughter's pulled back in a low set bun, lightly streaked with grey. Their clothes were different, the pale brown suit Tenzin wore crisp and clean, and Pema had on a long, pale yellow dress with lace sleeves. In the past six months, high-society fashion had hardly changed.

Kai wondered if their opinion of him had. He hoped so.

He fiddled with the top button of his shirt (actually having the shirt buttoned all the way up for once felt strange, the collar slightly tight around his neck) as he swallowed hard, Jinora's parents looking to him, and then their daughter.

Tenzin greeted Jinora first, sweeping her into a hug. "Sweetheart," he said happily, "It's so good to see you." His smile faded as Jinora released him, his eyes sliding onto Kai, as if it was the pirate's fault he hadn't seen his daughter in six months. Kai resisted the urge to roll his eyes. For the record, it had been Jinora's decision to postpone this second meeting.

Instead, he stuck out his hand. "It's good to see you again, sir," he said politely, pleased by how easy-going and relaxed he sounded, especially if he was feeling anything but.

Tenzin didn't say anything, or shake his hand (Kai let it fall limp back to his side) but the message was clear: _I can't say the same._

Was it possible the time away had made the Governor's opinion of him grow _worse_? Kai's already small smile faltered, and was grateful when Jinora stepped out of her mother's hug and took his hand. _Together._ They were going through this _together._

"It's good to see you again Kai," Pema said brightly, still with that warm smile. Kai put out his hand, surprised when Pema ignored it and pulled him into a quick hug. At least one parent liked him. Still, Kai was glad it was a brief hug, as he didn't have a lot of experience being hugged by anyone other than Yung or Jinora, much less by a mother figure. (Although Yung did fulfil both the mother and father role more often than not.)

Kai managed to genuinely return Pema's smile. "It's nice to see you again as well, Mrs. Gyatso," he said, inclining his head.

"You're looking much better than the last time I saw you," Pema said, her eyes crinkling.

Kai chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. Having Jinora's parents' first impression of him as someone bleeding, weak and probably dying hadn't exactly been ideal. "Yeah, Longshot's a great medic."

"So," Jinora took Kai's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Why don't we go inside?"

* * *

If Jinora's house had seemed huge from the ship, it was nothing compared to up close. Pillars of white stone that looked like marble towered over him, the gardens stretching out in vast expanses on either side. Hedges trimmed into large six-legged bison and lemurs with wings - "Symbols of the Gyatso family," Jinora supplied as they passed them - were lined up on either side of the walkway up the stairs to the main entrance door of dark oak. The knocker was a horned bison head, and a well-groomed man who Kai assumed was their butler opened the door for them.

On the way in, Jinora and Pema kept the conversation going, with Kai interjecting here and there when he felt it was his place to, or when Pema directly asked him a question. ("So, tell me, how is the southern Gold Coast in the winter?" or "How did your recovery go?") Tenzin largely remained silent, and it unnerved Kai more than anything else. The servants were as quiet as the Governor, slipping in and out of the rooms to carry out their duties, and beyond casting him questioning or disdainful looks, they didn't do much. Kai was grateful; having been even lower on the social and economic totem pole and now being "served" by people who had been above him his whole life set him on edge.

The house was huge, and mostly empty, and it felt, well...lonely. Kai knew all about feeling lonely. What grounded him was the warmth of Jinora's hand in his, their fingers tightly laced together, as if afraid if they let each other go something would try to tear them apart again, and Kai largely suspected that something was Tenzin's stoic expression.

In the hall near the grand staircase was a refined family portrait in greyscale with an elaborate golden framing. The Gyatso family was pictured in the gardens next to their mansion, and Jinora couldn't have been older than fifteen years old. A book was closed upon her lap as she sat in the chair, her father's hand upon her shoulder with a young Ikki and Meelo standing on either side of her. Pema held a toddler Rohan in her arms. They were all smiling, sans Rohan who was asleep, and Meelo's gaping grin showing off a few missing baby-teeth, but Kai found himself drawn to Jinora's eyes. There was no light in them, and her smile looked strained. If he didn't know her as well as he did, he never would have noticed, but it was a glaring difference to how she looked when she actually smiled: bright and happy with one corner of her mouth curved upwards just ever so slightly more than the other side.

Kai frowned, a quiet sigh escaping his lips as he looked away from the photograph, and to real Jinora's impassive expression off to his right. "You don't look very happy," he murmured.

Jinora's lips curved downwards. "I wasn't," she responded just as softly, so her parents wouldn't hear.

"So Kai," Pema's voice broke him out of his stupor, and the Captain looked towards the woman. "Tell me, what are days on a...pirate ship like?"

Pema didn't beat around the bush, at least, and it made a smile break out over his face. "Chores, mostly," he shrugged. "Cooking, cleaning. More cleaning."

"Music nights are fun though," Jinora added with a grin. They all took seats around the breakfast nook table, only set for six. Tenzin sat at the head of the table, and Kai let Jinora and Pema sit on either side of him, and then took a seat next to Jinora. "Visiting all the different ports, and Yung shares a lot of stories about Kai's younger years, which are always entertaining," she looked at him fondly.

Kai rolled his eyes but there was a smile on his face. "I never claimed to be perfect."

"You're certainly honest about that," Tenzin said quietly. Pema and Jinora frowned, but Kai simply kept on smiling.

"I'm honest about nearly everything, Governor," he said.

Jinora smiled a little. She had been a little worried about Kai holding his own against her father, but clearly it wouldn't be an issue. If anything, maybe she had to worry about the opposite. "Father, if you don't mind, I'd like to give Kai a proper tour of the house and the grounds," she said, but it was clear it wasn't exactly a request.

"Of course sweetie," Pema said. "I'd like to come along with you, as well. Get to know Kai a bit better, Tenzin-"

"I have some paperwork to finish up," Tenzin said shortly.

Pema pursed her lips. "Alright then. We'll need to be back at noon, however. Rohan's school ends early on Fridays and we always try to go to pick him up."

"Kai and I could go," Jinora offered. "The school isn't far. There's a back road most people don't use, so we wouldn't have to worry about being...seen." Piracy, unfortunately, Jinora thought glumly, was still a criminal offence, a title that neither Kai nor their crew deserved. They didn't need any nosy Port Bosco citizens recognizing Kai and reporting him to the authorities. "And it'd be nice to show him some of the town, anyway."

"I better be going," Tenzin's chair scraped against the floor as he stood up. He bent and kissed his wife's cheek before straightening back up again.

"We can start on the tour then," Jinora said. "We can start with my room upstairs and work our way down." She and Kai got up from the table together.

"Keep that door open," Tenzin said, and then he left the room as fast as he could. Jinora groaned and Kai froze, unsure if he should even breathe as a blush coloured his cheeks.

"Father! Mother's going to be with us anyway," Jinora said indignantly.

Pema smoothed down her dress as she rose from the table, clearly trying not to smile. "So, shall we begin?"

* * *

Jinora's room was about what Kai had expected her room to be. It had fancy blue wallpaper with faint flowers, and loads of books. Light was streaming in from the window, turned towards the sea.

"It always relaxed me," Jinora said, noticing his line of vision. "I spent most of my time in here, when I was home." She turned towards her old dresser, to the music box on top, now covered with a thin layer of dust. She cracked it open, a soft melody floating out, as she rummaged around for something. She pulled out a thin silver chain with a blue stone, glittering as she pressed it into his palm. "My GranGran's locket," she shrugged.

Kai pocketed it, smiling up at her. "Have to keep it safe then." He glanced at Pema. "Mrs. Gyatso, what about your parents?"

"They live near ZaFou, so they don't see us very often," Pema smiled. "They weren't thrilled about Tenzin and I's engagement, at first, because of the age difference." She placed a hand on Kai's shoulder. "He'll come around, you'll see."

Kai's smile faltered, but his eyes stayed bright. "Thank you, Mrs. Gyatso. I certainly hope so."

The two women led him throughout the mansion, down hallways and corridors, into more rooms than Kai thought possible to be in one house. He knew the servants lived on the lower floors, in the basement more or less, but he couldn't believe how few people could live in a house so large, especially compared to the sometimes cramped quarters of the _Waterbender._ He knew Daw would love the huge kitchen, and Otaku would adore the massive library. (Jinora took a few volumes from the shelves, claiming that she hadn't read them yet. "Is that possible?" Kai had teased her, and Jinora had lightly smacked him on the arm while Pema smiled softly.)

They went through the grounds next, Jinora pointing out the tree in the orchard she had climbed and then fell out of as a girl, leading to her fear of heights. There was another tree where her younger brother Meelo had carved _Meelo + candy_ with a crudely shaped heart around it.

Kai laughed. "Smart kid," he said, shaking his head. "He's 16 now right? Still in a love affair with candy?"

"More than his schoolwork, I'm afraid," Pema chuckled.

As they crossed over the gardens, there was a loud chime. Kai looked up startled, but Pema and Jinora seemed completely unaffected. "It's already eleven, where has the time gone?" Pema mused.

"We should start heading back to the house then," Jinora said.

"Hold on a sec," Kai requested, reaching towards his belt. At least the Gyatsos hadn't insisted on him discarding his sword and knife. It always made him uneasy to not have a weapon on him. He pulled out his dagger, and reached up to below the tree's lowest branch. He easily carved in a smooth _K + J_ and then encircled it with a heart. "Now all we have to do is prove that your brother and candy have nothing on us."

Jinora smiled softly. "A real challenge." She grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze, and she let their arms have a slight swing as they walked back to the mansion, trailing behind Pema.

When they entered through the back door, Tenzin was waiting from them, stroking his beard. He looked deeply troubled, and Kai frowned Tenzin looked at him as if it was all his fault. What had he apparently done now? Tenzin sighed heavily. "Captain...I'd like to have a chat with you, one-on-one."

Kai thought back to their last conversation. _Fine. I'll drop this issue...for now._ Now, obviously, had finally come back six months later to bite him in the butt.

He squeezed Jinora's hand and then let go. "Of course sir."

Jinora grabbed his arm as he went to leave with Tenzin (although where the Governor was taking him exactly, he had no clue). "Kai, you don't have to-"

He planted a quick kiss on her forehead. "It'll be fine, Gyatso," he whispered just loudly enough for her to hear. "Trust me."

Jinora frowned. "Fine," she grumbled, and reluctantly let go of him. He wished it was as easy for him to trust himself. Kai gave her a smile that faltered as soon as he wasn't facing her. He wasn't scared of the Governor, and he knew Tenzin just wanted what was best for his daughter, but the fact he seemed to refuse that Kai even had a possibility of being what that best thing was did hurt, and he knew it hurt Jinora as well, no matter what she said.

And maybe he was a little worried that Tenzin would get through to Jinora, and would convince her, and that by being around everything she had cared about would make her realize how much she missed it and she'd leave him. Maybe.

Kai's throat went dry as Tenzin led him up the stairs and down a corridor, towards the library. They entered it and the servants inside immediately scurried out of it. What exactly had he just got himself into?

* * *

Jinora sighed softly as she watched Kai and her father head up the stairs. She didn't like the idea of them being alone. So far, everything had gone about as well as she had expected, but she worried that Tenzin would prey on Kai's insecurities and actually convince him that she was better off without him. He had sent her away once to protect her, who was to say he wouldn't try to do it again? Only this time, she'd be wiser, and hold her ground.

Pema smiled sadly, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Sweetheart?"

"I'm just a little worried," Jinora said, frowning.

Pema squeezed her shoulder. "I'm sure Kai's confident enough in your relationship to withstand anything Tenzin says to him."

At that, Jinora laughed, surprised at the bitterness of it. "It's not that. Father isn't saying anything to him that Kai hasn't already said to himself. Kai hasn't had an easy life and the thought of anyone causing him any more pain just...I just want to protect him." She shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Your father won't be too mean," Pema assured her. "And Kai can take care of himself, I'm sure."

Jinora smiled at her. "That doesn't mean he should have to. But you're right, I'm sure I'm worrying over nothing...what do _you_ think of Kai?"

Pema planted a kiss on Jinora's forehead. "I think he's a sweet boy, who certainly doesn't live up to his reputation, and it's clear you mean the world to him. He's doing very well, for someone so out far of his usual environment."

"I don't think he's ever been in a real house before," Jinora said softly, frowning, but her lips curved upwards as she looked back at her mother. "Thank you, mother, for giving him a chance."

Pema pulled her into a hug that Jinora happily returned. "As long as you're happy," she murmured.

Jinora gave her mother a little squeeze. "I am."

* * *

Kai decided that the old dusty books were fascinating as Tenzin slowly turned around to face him, eyes narrowed.

"You know why you're here," Tenzin said.

Kai looked at him and forced an easy grin, shrugging. "Not really."

Tenzin rolled his eyes, scowling. "It's been six months, my daughter's name has been dragged through the mud, and I had thought by now she'd be over these silly little feelings for you, but she's not. I had assumed it was just infatuation, or a way to get back at me in some convoluted way, but apparently..."

Kai frowned slightly. "You know I genuinely care for her."

"How deep that care goes, is what I'm calling into question. We both know she deserves better; she deserves a man who can marry her-"

"She's happy with the way things are," Kai said. "We're married every way but legally."

Tenzin's face was rapidly turning red as his eyebrows shot up, and Kai wanted to roll his eyes. Of course the Governor's mind had gone to _that_. "Every-"

"I said every," Kai cut over him, his voice steady and calm, if a bit cold. He wasn't going to deny it. He and Jinora shared a room, and making love was a part of their relationship. They always took precautions - or nearly always - and there was no point lying about it, even to her father, even if it would get him in trouble. Kai took pride in the fact that despite being a pirate, he was usually an honest man. If he wanted Tenzin to believe that he truly loved the man's daughter, than he needed to be honest.

Tenzin threw him a furious look, and then started pacing. "And? What if something happens? What if she gets pregnant, you can just up and leave her, is that it?"

Kai scoffed. "You act like Jinora and I have never discussed our future before. If she gets pregnant, I'm not going to leave her, are you crazy? We'll raise the child together, out of wedlock, but that doesn't matter in the pirate world. It's rare enough pirates even have parents, no one cares if they're married."

"Maybe not in _your_ world, but they do in mine," Tenzin said, his temper rising. "Do you know what type of scandal you've caused? What the papers call her? They call into question my ability to govern, even, saying that if I can't control my daughter than how can I control the city."

"I told you that you could keep the story of the hostage situation, it was Jinora's decision to tell the truth," Kai said. "And you think I don't care about what the papers call her? It drives me crazy, but there's nothing I can do about it. And it's frustrating that I can't marry her, because if I could I would in a heartbeat. But this is my life, this is what I've been given, and I'm sure as hell not going to take it for granted. Honestly, Governor, I'm not sure what you want me to say. What's done is done. I'm not leaving her, and she's not leaving me."

Tenzin stopped pacing and stared at him. "And what if you die?"

The scars on Kai's back from Zaheer's blade - two of them, now - tingled, and he felt his muscles stretch as they remembered the pain, the blood. The dizziness he had come to associate with the day and a half when his life had hung in the balance. "Everything I have is on my ship. It'll be divided up amongst my men and Jinora. The crew will take care of her. They already do."

"You're still a criminal."

"Depends on your definition of criminal," Kai shrugged. "But it's 13 years too late to change that, anyway."

Tenzin raised an eyebrow at him. "You're being selfish. You've ruined her reputation; you've forced her to sacrifice everything-"

Kai looked away from him and towards the tall, wide windows, open to the sea. He watched the waves for a moment, trying to find something to say. "Maybe I am," he admitted. "But isn't everyone a little selfish when it comes to love? And yes, she has sacrificed for me. But your issue is that you're forgetting she wasn't happy here."

"I may have misjudged her suitors," Tenzin said begrudgingly, "but-"

"It wasn't just the suitors," Kai interrupted him. "She was unhappy long, long before that."

Tenzin glared at him. "Says who?"

"She does," Kai said, his own eyes hardening. "The fact is I make her happy. I don't think that's very selfish. But you, still trying to decide what's best for her when it's really what's best for you, is."

Tenzin's jaw dropped. "You dare-"

"Yes I dare," Kai said. There was a long silence as they simply stared at each other, and if Kai hadn't known the Governor's adamant on pacifism, then he would have thought the older man might smack him.

Instead, there was a quiet knock at the door, and a servant tentatively poked their head in. "Master Tenzin sir? Your wife says it's time for young miss Jinora and, er, the Captain, to go pick up young master Rohan from school."

Tenzin nodded. "Thank you, Gashun." Tenzin studied Kai for a moment as Gashun quietly shut the door. "You'd better get going, I won't have you and Jinora being late picking up my son."

Kai swallowed hard. "Of course not, sir."

He let out a sigh of relief when he left the library and found Jinora alone, waiting for him in the foyer. "Rough conversation?" she guessed, her brow furrowing as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

Kai sighed again. "You could say that again." He glanced at the clock: nearly 11:37. "We should get going."

It was a relief when the mansion grew smaller, and being on a boat again, even if it was a simple ferry and not the _Waterbender_ immediately calmed him, the waves lapping against the hull. Kai told her of he and her father's conversation in the library (or at least the general gist of it) and by the time he had finished they were walking off the ferry, and to his surprise, Jinora was beaming at him.

"Why are you smiling at me like that?" he said uneasily, as she wound her fingers through his.

Jinora hummed contentedly. "I'm proud of you. You stood up to my father for us, and that isn't easy to do."

"It didn't help me win him over though," Kai rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand.

"You'll win the war," Jinora promised, squeezing his hand. "You already have."

Kai smiled down at her, his eyes crinkling. "Good."

Jinora tugged on his hand, and led him over to a deserted dirt road tucked away behind a line of tall, thick trees. "Now let's go pick up my little brother, Captain."


	3. The Gyatso Estate Part II

Chapter Three: The Gyatso Estate Part II

* * *

Rohan's school looked more like a castle than a school. It was a tall, redbrick building with torrents, a banner hanging above the door with a school crest: a six-legged bison and a dragon on either side of the letters _RCSS_. Underneath were letters woven in cursive reading _REPUBLIC CITY SECONDARY SCHOOL_. They went around the bend towards the back of the school, towards the dirt path they would take back down to the docks of Port Bosco, to the ferry that would take them back to Air Temple Island.

"I'll go find Rohan in the front and bring him around back," Jinora said, letting go of Kai's hand. "Just wait here, we don't want any kids being nosy."

Kai nodded, and watched her go back up to the front of the school. He wondered if any of the kids would be able to recognize him (maybe the older high school students, he mused) but figured most parents wouldn't want their children seeing Wanted posters of criminals and pirates, even if they were on the back of the newspaper nearly everyday.

A sound of commotion near the back entrance of the school, the doors closest to him, caught his attention. Someone, a group it sounded like, was coming out. Frowning, he stepped back more into the shadows of the trees so that he'd be at least partially hidden. He turned his eyes back to the door when they burst open, and a young boy stumbled out, books falling out of his hands. Following him, laughing, were a bunch of older boys, around 15 or 16 years old.

Kai narrowed his eyes. _Bullies_. Why had teachers ever thought mixing elementary and high school together was a good idea was beyond him. All it did was mean much older kids could pick on younger ones all too easily.

"What are these stupid charts of yours?" one of the teenager sneered, picking up a piece of parchment. Kai was too far away to make sure exactly, but it sort of looked like Otaku's star charts.

"It's mine Rakko, give it back!" the youngest boy said, going to stand and grab it only to be shoved back down.

"Think just because your dad's important you can tell us what to do?" another teenager snarled. "Fellas, I think we should teach this kid a lesson."

It reminded Kai all too much of being cornered on the streets, outnumbered and small compared to his attackers, even if that beating had been far more brutal with clubs and a knife or two than what teenagers and their fists could do. Sighing (God knew this was going to bite him in the butt) he stepped out of the woods and strode over to the group of boys. "Hey!"

The one who seemed to be the ringleader, Rakko or whatever his name was, looked at Kai with wide eyes, but then relaxed. Clearly, he thought because he had his little gang of at least six other boys he was safe. "Who're you?" Rakko smirked.

Kai rolled his eyes. "Doesn't matter. Leave the kid alone."

Rakko glanced back at the burly boys on either side of him, stocky with hammy fists. "And you're going to make me?"

Kai dropped a hand to the hilt of his sword, the other going to the dagger in his belt. "Yeah, I am." He was shocked as Rakko pulled out a long, thin knife from his bag. This kid brought a _knife_ to school? And thought he had a chance at beating him, apparently? If the situation hadn't been serious, Kai would have laughed, but instead he shot Rakko a fierce glare. "Your parents know you have that thing?"

"What my parents don't know won't hurt them," Rakko replied smoothly. "Besides, my father is an excellent lawyer - hey!"

Kai had reached over and pried the knife from Rakka's grip with ease. He launched it over in the air, in a wide arc and it disappeared into the forest. "Only men like me are allowed to handle daggers kid."

Rakko frowned, and exchanged a distressed look with his two 'bodyguards'. "And what type of man are you?"

One of the boys launched his fist forward, but Kai calmly sidestepped and then grabbed it. He twisted it around so the boy fell to his knees, frowning in pain. Kai released him, and then flashed a grin at Rakko. "One you don't want to cross. Now scram."

Rakko looked at him uncertainly, and then at his friend who was still on the ground. "Let's get out of here," he mumbled to his friends. They took off towards the front of the school, muttering angrily as they left.

Kai dropped into a crouch in front of the young boy, still curled up on the ground. "Kid?" His brow furrowed in concern. "You okay?"

"Y-yeah," the boy sniffled, sitting up. He had dark hair, a tuft sticking up in front, and green eyes, the colour of the asparagus Daw always used in his veggie stew. "You're not going to hurt me, are you?"

Kai chuckled softly. "Nah, I just look scary." He picked up the books from the ground, and the piece of parchment while the boy picked himself up, and handed them back to him. "Is this a star chart?"

"Yeah," the boy smiled a little. "I really like astronomy, so…"

Kai studied it, comparing it to the mental map he had of the stars out at sea. "It's pretty accurate," Kai said with a grin. "You made this yourself?" The boy nodded. "Good job kiddo."

"Rohan!"

Kai looked up to see Jinora hurrying forwards, looking slightly frazzled and worried.

"Jinora!"

The boy ran forwards and Jinora met him halfway before scooping him up into a hug. "I couldn't find you at the front," she said, hugging him tightly. "What are you doing back here? And why are you all dirty?"

Kai walked forwards, Rohan's things still in his arms, his brow furrowing. "Wait, Gyatso, this is your little brother?"

Jinora had just said, "Yes," when the back school doors opened again, and a young woman walked out. She had loose, straight hair falling over her shoulders, and a tight blue dress on.

"Rohan," she said worriedly, "are you alright?"

"I'm fine Ms. Moto," Rohan said, his wide smile faltering. "He helped me." Rohan pointed over at Kai.

Ms. Moto smiled widely at him and stuck out her hand. "Ms Mori Moto, thank you so much for looking after Rohan, Mister?"

"Kai," the Captain said, shaking her hand. "Just Kai is fine. I was happy to help."

Rohan looked between Jinora and Kai, frowning in confusion. "Hey wait, isn't Kai-"

"Well, just Kai," Ms. Moto's smile widened a little too much. "There must be some way I can show my appreciation."

 _Oh._ Kai quickly let go of her hand, his smile growing strained. He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh, er, Ms. Moto that's very kind of you, but I'm actually Jinora's…" he trailed off, eyes widening as he looked over to Jinora. _Please help me_. Their courtship wasn't exactly conventional, and it was too complicated to explain to a stranger. Girls flirting with him wasn't new, but being in a happy, established relationship still was, and after the whole Rizza incident, the last thing Kai wanted to do was make Jinora feel bad or insecure or jealous.

"Fiancé," Jinora grabbed his arm, narrowing her eyes at Ms. Moto. "He's my fiancé." If it had been any other teacher, Jinora wouldn't have so bold, worried of revealing Kai's identity, but she knew Ms. Moto prized her pride over gossip and wouldn't spread the fact that Kai, a wanted pirate, was back in town and seemingly engaged. Not until they were long gone, anyway.

Ms. Moto frowned. "I see. Well, congratulations, Ms. Gyatso. Rohan, I'll see you on Monday." She headed back into the school and Jinora allowing herself a small smile, which faltered.

"Fiancé?" Kai mumbled, but she relaxed when she saw the small grin playing across his lips. As much as he didn't like seeing her jealous, she was adorable when she was.

She shoved him lightly in the shoulder. "Shut it, Captain." She placed her hands on Rohan's shoulders. "Rohan, this is Kai, wait, why are you all dirty?"

Rohan flushed, looking down at his shoes. "Some boys started pushing me around," he mumbled.

Jinora pulled him into another hug. It was easy to put the pieces together, that Kai must have obviously stepped in to help, not realizing that the boy in question was in fact her little brother. "Oh Rohan," she ruffled his hair. "I'm sorry."

Rohan shrugged as he stepped out of her arms. "I'm okay, thanks to…" he glanced at Kai, and then back at Jinora. "So, _this_ is your pirate boyfriend?"

Rohan studied Kai for a moment, his thoughtful face looking awfully like Jinora's, and the pirate found himself afraid of the boy's verdict. Jinora's father not liking him was one thing. Jinora's little brother not liking him, a little kid, would be harder to swallow, somehow.

"Dad said he was a dirty criminal who does bad things," Rohan said, and then directed his next question to Kai, "Is that true?"

Kai almost smiled. "Dirty? No. Criminal, in the eyes of the law, yes. And I do some bad things, sometimes, but here's the thing. Stealing is wrong, right?"

Rohan nodded. "Right."

"Okay, but say someone steals food because they can't afford to buy it? Or medicine for a sick family member? Is that still wrong?" Kai pressed on.

"Well, yes," Rohan said slowly. "Stealing's bad but you're technically doing it for a good reason, so it's a bit of both."

"Well that's what I do: some bad things for good reasons," Kai said, shrugging. "Think you get it?"

"Yeah. So, what's it like being a pirate? Is it fun? Exploring the world and sailing the seas must be fun for Jinora to have been gone so long. How did you fall in love? What's your crew like? Are the stars easier to see because you're away from the city and lights?" Rohan said this so fast it sent Kai's head spinning.

"Rohan, maybe one question at a time," Jinora said, biting back a smile. "I'm afraid Kai isn't fast enough to keep up with you."

Kai tried to go through the questions the boy had asked, and his brain latched onto one: _what's your crew like?_ "Er, the crew, my men - and your sister, but - they're…the best people in the world. Friends are the most important people ever, y'know, 'cause they're the family you choose. My crew, they're like my brothers, and uncles, sometimes a bit of both."

"I have a brother, but he's a bit of an idiot," Rohan said seriously. "And dad says that Uncle Bumi is very eccentric, but we don't see him too often…who's the Captain?"

Kai smiled a little. "I am, actually. It's kind of a long story, but my first mate is this guy named Yung, and then Otaku, that's our navigator, he knows a lot about the stars and languages and all that school sort of stuff. What grade are you in?"

"Five," Rohan said. "But I'll be 11 in a month!"

"It's an important birthday," Kai agreed with a grin.

"When's yours?" Rohan said excitedly.

Kai's smile faltered. "I, uh…I actually don't really know. I was an orphan, see, so there's some things I don't know."

It was a hard truth, one that Jinora had at first been surprised, and then saddened by when she realized it made sense. It was a miracle Kai knew his own name, his sister having mentioned it before leaving him at the orphanage, leaving him for good. But things like his birthday, his parents' names, remained a mystery to him. Jinora knew Kai didn't really mind about the whole birthday thing; you couldn't miss what you never had, she supposed. Besides, whenever one of the crew's birthdays did come around, the only things that really changed was that they were exempt from chores, maybe got a trinket or two, and had their favourite meal for dinner. Most of them were far more enthusiastic about honouring the anniversary of the day they joined the crew than their birthday anyway.

Rohan's face fell. "Oh, I'm sorry."

Kai shrugged. "S'okay. But you know what I do know? I'm totally faster than you."

Rohan sized him up. "No you're not."

"Yes I am," Kai laughed. "Race ya to find out?" Rohan slipped out of his backpack and held it out to Jinora, when Kai took it and slung it onto his shoulder. "So?"

Rohan took off running, with Kai jogging behind him yet still keeping pace. Rolling her eyes, Jinora followed her boys, feeling winded herself when they finally slowed down. Kai seemed fine, but Rohan was struggling to catch his breath.

"Ha!" he panted. "I beat you."

Kai exchanged a knowing look with Jinora, and she smiled widely. There was no doubt he had lost completely on purpose. "Looks like you were right kiddo…" he lowered his voice slightly. "So, does your dad know about those bullies?"

Rohan's elated expression faded. "Uh, no. They just pick on me 'cause I'm the Governor's son, and dad has enough things to deal with since re-election is coming up, I didn't want to bother him."

"He'd want to know," Kai said. "Fathers want to know that sort of stuff."

Rohan nodded hesitantly, and Kai thought the subject was about to be dropped, when Rohan's brow furrowed in confusion. "I thought you said you didn't have…?"

"Oh," Kai smiled slightly. "Er, my first mate, he's the closest thing I've ever had to a dad. He worries like how I'd imagine one would, anyway."

Jinora beamed at him.

Over the course of her time on the ship, and especially within the last six months, it was easy to see how Yung somewhat fathered all of the crew, even her, despite Lefty being the oldest. (Lefty was more like that eccentric uncle who sometimes drank too much, but they loved him anyway). Yung was always making sure Momo didn't get picked on or teased too much, that Ryu and Skoochy didn't bite each other's heads off, that Pabu had new film for his camera, that Longshot was making sure to take careful of himself as well as the rest of them, or that Appa and Imaru got their hands on the latest tabloid issue, or that Otaku didn't miss any meals, and lastly Kai most of all. As much as Jinora had thought of Kai being a bit of a father to the crew, and he was, doing his best to take care of all of them, he was more like a younger brother who had suddenly been put in charge, even after almost six years of Captainship. He handled the big decisions, the big picture, while Yung made sure each puzzle piece was in place.

"He wouldn't have to if you didn't have a death-wish," she teased.

Kai rolled his eyes. "I don't have a death-wish."

"Is a pirate's life dangerous?" Rohan asked curiously.

Kai smiled, mostly for the fact that kid was still so tiny and didn't even come up to his shoulder. "Kind of. It depends, most of the time things are okay, and safe. I just have a talent for getting into trouble," he shrugged.

They boarded the ferry, and Kai was content to let Rohan do most of the talking until they reached the Island. The kid babbled on about his siblings, mostly his older brother, Meelo. "He's 16 and goes to boarding school with Ikki on the rims of the city. Dad's been really pushing for him to be Governor but I don't think he wants to be. And he won't admit it but I know he has a huge crush on Tuyen Lillian and-"

"Oh really?" Jinora raised an eyebrow. "Isn't she two years older than him?"

"Meelo says love has no age," Rohan shrugged. "Besides, Ikki likes Huan BeiFong and he's 26."

"Yes, but she isn't claiming that she's in love," Jinora replied, smiling slightly. "Yet, I hope," she added, her smile faltering.

Kai squeezed her hand. "I'm sure she'll be fine, love, if she's anywhere near as tough as you. And your brother's young, so he'll bounce back quickly."

Jinora smiled appreciatively at him. "Thank you."

"What about me?" Rohan pouted.

"You're a smart little guy buddy," Kai grinned. "Pirates use the stars to navigate, so I know a thing or two about constellations. I'm sure you know more though. You could show me some more of your star charts, if you want."

Rohan grinned excitedly. "That'd be great!" he exclaimed.

* * *

After scampering upstairs to get changed out of his dirty clothes (when Pema had asked how they'd gotten that way, the boy had lied and said he fell; Kai pursed his lips but said nothing) Rohan spent most of the afternoon singing Kai's praises. With the boy acting as a buffer, even with Tenzin's continued coldness, the afternoon was a lot more manageable than the morning. How Rohan had decided he was the best person to ever live in only 45 minutes, Kai didn't have a clue, and he wasn't quite sure what to do about it. He could tell Jinora and her mother thought it was sweet. As for what the Governor thought, well…

"Dad, can I get a tattoo?"

Tenzin threw Rohan a sharp look. "What? No! Absolutely not."

"But Kai has one," Rohan pointed at the tip of a wing of a bird on Kai's forearm.

"Actually he has five," Jinora added and Tenzin groaned. Kai was just glad Jinora hadn't mentioned her own tattoo, a small simple anchor on her hip she had gotten about two months back.

"Kiddo, you'll have to wait until you're older," Kai said, even as Tenzin glared daggers at him. "And, besides, you have to make sure that whatever you're getting is something you're proud of, 'cause you'll have it forever. Like, I chose my tattoos because they mean something to me."

"What does the bird mean then?" Rohan said curiously, tugging on Kai's sleeve.

"I've always liked animals," Kai shrugged, all too conscious of Tenzin's eyes on him. "And birds symbolize freedom, and I like the idea of being free. No past or baggage." Kai swallowed hard. He didn't want to give any more opportunities to the man to start digging into his past. "But you're still too young to really understand though, thankfully. But I have been thinking of getting a constellation. Do you have any recommendations?"

Then Rohan was off again, talking a mile a minute about his favourite stars and constellations, the times they shone during the year, their meanings and differing interpretations throughout the four nations. It made Jinora's head spin with all the facts and names, but Kai managed to keep up with him, interjecting information about constellations that weren't very well documented, especially those far off over the Wújìn Sea, the largest and most undocumented ocean in the whole world.

"We don't sail out there very often, last time was six years ago, but it does happen sometimes. It's bigger than you'd ever imagine, and the horizon is just so vast. It really feels like it lives up to the name, the endless sea," Kai beamed. "We might have to make the trip one of these days though, a couple of the newer crew members have never seen it either."

"You've been all over the world," Rohan said in an awed voice.

Kai shook his head and smiled. "Not even half. I've never even been to Whale Tale Island, or the Fire Nation."

"We spent a summer in the Fire Nation but I was only four so I can't remember," Rohan frowned. "Still one more than you though," he brightened.

Kai laughed. "That's the spirit kiddo." His grin faltered when he saw Tenzin studying him, as if trying to figure out the answer to some kind of problem. Kai wondered if he'd like the solution. "Er, Governor sir?"

Tenzin looked slightly startled and Kai had a sudden urge to smile. "Oh, I was just wondering if you ever had any experience with children, or younger siblings."

Kai raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Oh, uh, not really," he shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. "The only one of the crew who's younger than me is Momo, but he's a bit like a younger brother I guess? I've never been great at figuring out family dynamics, since I've never really had something to compare it to…" Kai quickly cleared his throat. "Governor, you have two siblings, don't you?"

"Yes," Tenzin nearly smiled. "Two, an older brother and sister. Neither have children, however, and they're both quite…eccentric."

"Uncle Bumi's really fun!" Rohan added with a grin.

There was a quiet knock at the door, and the same servant from before, Gashun, was standing there. "Master Gyatso," he said in a lofty voice. "Young Master Meelo and young Miss Ikki have arrived."

All the Gyatsos' faces lit up. "Thank you Gashun. We'll go out to meet with them immediately." They all rose from the table, Jinora slipping her hand into Kai's as he stood up with them.

The horse-drawn-carriage was pulling up in front of the entrance staircase of the mansion when they clambered down onto the dirt road, an excited Rohan in the lead. Two teenagers climbed out of the carriage; a slender girl with long dark hair, with two small buns sitting on either side of her head. The other was a boy, slightly taller than her and nearly as tall as Kai, with messy dark hair.

The girl, who assumed must be Ikki, wrapped Rohan into a tight hug and dragged her brother - who was trying and failing not to look interested - into it. Even Meelo couldn't hide a huge smile however, when he caught sight of Jinora, and beat Ikki to giving his oldest sister a hug.

"You've gotten taller," Jinora laughed, ruffling her little brother's hair. Meelo swatted her hand away.

"I'm a man now, sis," Meelo retorted, puffing out his chest. Ikki jabbed him in the stomach and he deflated. "You look different too," he remarked.

Jinora's hair was short, choppy: she made sure to give it a trim every few weeks to keep it at the length she liked. It was more practical to keep it short, so it wouldn't fall in her eyes as much. She was garbed in her typical attire of a white blouse that showed off her shoulders, a light girdle of brown leather overtop. A brown skirt followed the curve of her hips and ended slightly above her knees, and she had leggings underneath.

She looked nothing like a high-society girl, Kai thought with a flare of pride.

She looked like a pirate.

"A good different," Ikki said, with a big grin. "It suits you." She peered over Jinora's shoulder, past her parents, and towards Kai, hanging in the back. "You must be Kai."

Kai managed a small smile, but was grateful when Jinora took his hand to pull him over to her siblings and didn't let go. "Yeah."

"He's the best!" Rohan crowed, and Kai flushed, smiling nervously.

"I don't know about that kiddo," he replied. "So, you're Ikki and Meelo, Jinora's told me a lot about you."

"Not all good things," Jinora teased, and Ikki laughed while Meelo stuck his tongue out at her.

"Meelo, Jinora, please," Tenzin admonished, "act your age. Now, as for dinner, it shall be starting soon, so…"

Kai gave Jinora's a hand a squeeze before letting go. "Er, Governor, I was thinking I'd stay with my men for dinner. Give you and Jinora some time to catch up, just the family," he shrugged. Now that Jinora's other siblings were here, he almost felt like an intruder. Besides, he felt like maybe he had had enough of having to think carefully about everything that came out of his mouth before he actually said it for one day. How had Jinora lived almost 22 years like this?

Tenzin looked surprised, but then it seemed like maybe he almost smiled. He hadn't expected the man to be so…considerate, especially after their argument in the library. "Thank you Captain, I think that would be wise."

Jinora's eyes met Kai's. _Are you sure?_ He gave her a little nod, loosely grabbing the tips of her fingers and squeezing them. "Be with your family," he said with a small smile.

"I'll see you after dinner then," Jinora said, still feeling a little unsure, although it faded when he planted a quick kiss on her temple. She watched him walk down the steps, through the most straight-forward path in the garden, and down to the small harbour where the _Waterbender_ had been re-docked (the men had left briefly to go into the shadier parts of town for the day).

She sighed, her hand feeling empty without his to hold as she turned back to her parents and siblings. Her family. But didn't he understand?

He was her family too.


	4. The Gyatso Estate Part III

**Compass**

* * *

Chapter Four: The Gyatso Estate Part III

* * *

It was relief when Kai set foot on his ship, the deck empty with the exception of Yung leaning on the railing, as the rest of the men were already down eating. "You didn't have to wait for me," Kai said, joining Yung's side.

Yung shrugged. "I know. I wanted to. It's my job to check up on you, kid."

Kai smiled slightly. "I'm 23 Yung, I'm not a kid anymore. I've been taller than you since I was 13, for one thing." To prove his point he rested his arm on his first mate's head. Yung wormed out of the way. "And for another, a kid can't be Captain."

Yung shoved him lightly in the shoulder. "The Captain also shouldn't be a selfless idiot, but you've always been a rule breaker." Yung's tone grew more serious as he added, "So kiddo, what's on your mind? I know there's something."

"Oh really, what gave you that idea?" Kai pursed his lips and looked away from Yung, staring into the waves as a gentle breeze rolled over them. "I just spent a day being reminded that Gyatso and I come from completely different families, backgrounds, well everything, really. It's easy to forget, most of the time, when she's with us, but seeing her in her home, and with her family...What if she decides she misses it?" Before Yung could answer, Kai continued on, a weight in his chest tightening with every word till it was hard to breathe. "And the Governor still doesn't like me and I _know_ she cares even if she says she doesn't, and her little brother is suddenly seeing me as some kind of role model and I have no idea what to do about that. Why would he ever look up to me? I've done horrible things and I'm not that great of a person and..."

Yung placed a hand on his shoulder. "Kai, I have never seen you happier than in these past six months. I know that being happy scares you, 'cause it could be taken away. But you have to be happy anyway."

"It's not that simple," Kai said irritably. "You of all people know how hard it was for me to even be able to - to breathe without it hurting-"

"And sometimes it's still hard," Yung said gently. Kai's younger years had been wrought with strife, tales of his days on the streets told in bits and pieces until the puzzle had all come together, save for the final piece of what had happened to his parents. If Kai never divulged the information, Yung would respect it. Still, he knew Kai's first year on the ship hadn't been easy, seeing as he had had to fight for every smile Kai had given, for every instance Kai had started to trust him, and the rest of the crew. "That doesn't make you weak. That doesn't mean you don't deserve to be happy."

When Kai didn't say anything, Yung continued. "And as for her little brother, I can't think of a better person for him to admire." Yung pulled Kai into a hug that the Captain gladly returned. He was a bit too tall, and far too old, but he stooped down to rest his chin on Yung's shoulder the way he did when he was a boy.

"Thank you," Kai mumbled, and pulled away somewhat reluctantly. "I guess we should go to dinner now."

"Daw's made meat stew for the first time in forever," Yung grinned. The cook had tried his best to keep things vegetarian friendly for Jinora, often cooking something on the side for her when the main meal consisted of meat. "We saved you some, and Jinora a bit of veggie stew just in case."

"Nah just me," Kai shrugged, and then frowned. "I wonder how dinner's going over there. Maybe I shouldn't have left her on her own..."

"Your girlfriend is more than capable of handling herself against pirates," Yung said. "After that, her family will be a piece of cake. Besides, she knows she has the rest of us backing her up. You've been outnumbered all day kid, it's time to cut yourself some slack. I can't imagine the Governor gave you an easy time."

"Not really," Kai admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "At one point I thought he might smack me."

Yung clapped him on the shoulder. "Cap, at one point or another, we've all wanted to smack you."

Kai shook his head, laughing. "I guess that's true."

It was a relief when he joined the rest of the men in the dining hall, welcomed back gladly. They seemed to understand he wasn't in the mood to share details about his day (or at least, after Yung gave Imaru and Momo a pointed look) and instead chattered around him about their day out in the market. Apparently there had been a great sale on Lychee juice, so Daw had enlisted Appa and Lefty's help to bring the huge jugs back to the ship, Otaku had purchased a new book, and Skoochy had snagged some cigarettes imported from the Fire Nation. Pabu had also gotten some new film for his camera, as his current one had almost run out ("Probably from taking too many photos of Momo," Daw quipped, and Kai snorted into his stew while the redhead blushed profusely).

It was nice to have a chance to just relax and bask in the noise of conversation, not expected to participate, just to listen, to not strain himself to understand, nor trying to figure out what was the right thing to say. Still, he couldn't help but wonder what was going on back at the mansion. Was Jinora horribly outnumbered? Well, she had her mother and Rohan on her side - _their_ side? - or at at least he hoped so.

* * *

Jinora hadn't had a meal in her family's formal dining hall in a long, long time. It was far more elaborate than the small breakfast nook, an oval shaped table with a fine white table cloth set in the centre of the room, laden with silver plates and wine glasses. The room was so large, and Jinora felt so small, unused the wide expanses of space in between people and chairs, a jarring contrast to the cramped dining hall of the _Waterbender_ she had grown so quickly accustomed to. There was a thick silence except for the clink of cutlery for a moment, and Jinora wished for the first time that Ikki and Meelo would start talking, as usually it was the opposite.

Finally, thankfully, Ikki said, "So, that's your pirate boyfriend."

Jinora immediately relaxed, a smile spreading across her face. "Yes, that's Kai."

"He's the best!" Rohan interjected. "He knows all about stars and he's been to so many places and-"

"He's taller than I expected," Meelo said sourly. Jinora wondered if he had expected to be taller than the Captain, and bit back a smile. Or maybe he was just upset that Rohan, who usually mooned over Meelo, had found a new role model.

"And I bet Dad loved his tattoos," Ikki smiled into their first course, a salad with a pale purple dressing criss-crossed over lettuce. Tenzin frowned, stroking his beard. "You arrived this morning, correct?" Ikki checked and Jinora nodded. "How large is the crew again?"

"Including me, 26 in total," Jinora answered. She wondered how much Ikki and Meelo knew, of Kai's fight with Zaheer, the circumstances surrounding Tenzin and Pema's very short stay on the _Waterbender_ , the day she had been expected to go home. Rohan, had surely been sheltered and didn't know much for his own good, but how much had her parents gone into detail with her other brother, and sister? "They're all wonderful though. Big softies really."

"Pirates, softies?" Tenzin raised an eyebrow.

"Two of them were crying over flowers the other day," Jinora replied with a smile, even if there was a slight edge to her voice. "Some of the crew, Kai, might be a bit rough around the edges, but their lives haven't exactly been easy."

That seemed to keep Tenzin quiet, as Pema inquired about Ikki's time at her and Meelo's boarding school. Ikki mentioned getting a few letters from Huan BeiFong, which led to a discussion about him and Kai ("Huan made his sword," Jinora informed her sister,) and then to Huan's sister Opal BeiFong, who served under Kai's friend Captain Korra of _The Avatar_. The conversation was flowing easier and better than Jinora had expected, even if Meelo was oddly quiet. Sulking like the 16-year-old boy he was, Jinora supposed, when finally her younger brother spoke up.

"Oh and Jinora, there was a letter for you. They gave it to us when our carriage pulled into the city," Meelo said. "Your friends aren't able to come tomorrow, but they might be able to come on Sunday. Pfannee's having a little trouble finding a babysitter, for her, uh son."

Pfannee Wen's son had been born out of wedlock shortly after they had graduated from secondary school, the father refusing to take responsibility for the child, so Pfannee had been disowned. Things had been hard for a while, and Jinora suspected they still weren't exactly easy, but she knew things had improved. Pfannee was working as a seamstress last Jinora had heard, further inland on the Eastern outer rims of the city.

"I'd like to see them," Jinora said, taking a sip of her wine and then regretting it. After getting used to cheap beer, going back to fancy wine and champagne was going to take some adjusting, even if the change was only temporary. She wrinkled her nose as she set her glass down. "Did the letter say anything else that was particularly interesting?"

"ShenShen stopped by mom's family in ZaFou," Ikki piped up. "Grandma and Grandpa Shang are doing fine, by the way."

"Have they heard of Jinora's...choice?" Tenzin said before taking a long sip of his wine when Jinora shot him a sharp look.

"Just what's in the tabloids," said Ikki quietly, glancing down at her dinner.

"It's hard to keep up with what's being said," Jinora said brightly. "Since we're at sea most of the time. The first mate, Yung, does his best to keep certain articles out of Kai's hands - and Skoochy's for that matter." She lowered her voice to her mother and father. "The former slave?" She saw a flash of recognition in their eyes. "He has quite the temper and protective streak, it's not a great combination. Everyone's quite protective of each other, actually."

"Why don't the papers like you being with Kai if he makes you happy?" Rohan said curiously, digging into his desert.

Jinora smiled, but then pursed her lips. "It's a little complicated sweetie, but largely it's because most people in high society don't think too highly of pirates."

Rohan frowned. "Hmmm..." And then, as if the 10 year thought it was so easily rectified, he asked, "Dad, can I be a pirate?"

Tenzin nearly choked on his wine. "What?! No! You're - you're far too young, for one thing!"

"I'm older than Kai was when he joined," Rohan pouted. "I could be a navigator, it'd be fun."

Tenzin spluttered aimlessly, looking to Pema for help, while Ikki frowned and Meelo looked like he wasn't sure whether to laugh or not. "Rohan," Jinora began gently, placing a hand on her youngest brother's shoulder. "It's a little more complicated than that. Kai only joined so young because he...He was a special case. He didn't have anywhere else to go, remember?"

"But-"

Jinora dropped her voice to a whisper only he could hear. "If this is because you don't want to go back to school because of those bullies, then we'll deal with it together, _later_ , okay?"

"Okay," Rohan said quietly, nodding. He stifled a yawn as he finished up his desert, melted ice cream staining his mouth. Pema caught the yawn anyway and gave him a knowing look.

"I think it's time for bed," Pema said, rising from the table. "Maybe even for all of us. You kids have had quite the journey, you must be tired."

Jinora knew Rohan would be more willing to go bed if the rest of them were, and it couldn't hurt to play along. "Of course. I just need to talk with Ikki and Meelo about some boring older kid stuff first." She walked over to Rohan and planted a kiss in his hair. "Goodnight Rohan."

Pema led him out of the dining hall, and Jinora watched him leave before turning back to her father and siblings, looking to them expectantly. For a second she thought they were going to have a great big discussion, to hear her siblings' true opinions, to learn what they knew of the tumultuous circumstances that had led up to her and Kai's relationship. But then Pema came back into the room and planted a kiss on Jinora's forehead.

"I think it's time for all of us to get some rest," she said with a tired smile, and Jinora agreed immediately.

She hugged Ikki and Meelo tightly, even as Meelo tried and failed to push her away, before she and Tenzin were left alone in the hall.

"Jinora..." Tenzin said tiredly, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Please try to understand. I only want what's best for you."

Jinora looked up at him, the light in her eyes trembling as she replied, "Then you need to accept that what's best is for me is him." She looked away from him. She wanted to have a real conversation with him, but she was too tired. She just wanted to go home, and the realization that the mansion she had grown up in was no longer that hit her with a pang. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I really should be getting to bed. Goodnight father."

She slipped away from his grasp and walked briskly out of the hall, out of the mansion and into the back gardens. As soon as she was far enough away, she broke into a light jog, seeing a lantern swing as whoever was on lookout climbed up to the crow's nest. It seemed that the crew was already settling in for the night.

Jinora walked up the plank and down below decks, past their own little dining hall where Daw and Ryu were wiping down the table. Somebody else on clean up duty was washing dishes in the kitchen as she could hear the faint splashing of the water, and she gave Daw and Ryu a tired little wave and smile as she walked on by, not waiting for them to return it.

It was relief when she reached her room at the end of the hall, and she had only just closed the door and was turning around when she found herself face-to-face with Kai. He rubbed the back of his neck, something she recognized as a nervous habit as he asked, "How was dinner?"

"Interesting," she shrugged, studying him. "Tiring, mostly...Is everything alright? You seem..."

Jinora managed to meet his eyes and the weight of everything that had happened, all the tension and nerves came crashing down, and they immediately moved towards each other, meeting halfway and wrapping their arms around each other. Kai ran his fingers through her hair as she buried her face in his neck. "God I love you," she breathed. Her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt. "You know that, right?"

He nodded slightly. "Reminders never hurt though," he quipped, and she laughed softly. "I love you Jin. I wish I could make things easier for you."

"I feel that way about you all the time," she said, pulling away to look him in the eye again but never loosening her hold around him. She took one hand and cupped one side of his face. "Thank you, for trying so hard. I know it's not easy, for you to be so open with so many people who are strangers, and with my dad not being very welcoming. I know that Rohan makes you nervous, and so do Ikki and Meelo, but I promise, no matter what happens over the next few days, I'm with you. Always."

Kai's face broke into a wide carefree smile as he rested his forehead against hers. "Yeah?" he said softly.

"Yeah." He simply stared at her for a moment - what had he done to deserve her, he didn't know - before he pressed his mouth against hers. They were a pretty physical couple, with small touches or pecks on the cheek, an arm wrapped around each other usually around the crew, freely showing affection. Never anything extreme, but they both found reassurance. Having to do practically nothing but hold hands, especially in an environment that was far more stressful than the crew had worn them both down. Being able to kiss each other like this, for however long they wanted, letting their hands roam, was more than wonderful.

After they finally broke apart, Kai didn't bother to pull on another shirt for the night, instead slipping into his low slung pajama pants while Jinora pulled off her clothes and tugged on her usual sleepwear of his old shirt, too tired to do up the buttons as she climbed into bed beside him and nestled herself in his arms. She draped herself over his chest as he wrapped an arm around her waist, pinned under his weight as his hand rested on her thigh.

Jinora thought Kai might have fallen asleep when he asked softly, his voice slightly hoarse, "Does it bother you that we can't get married?"

"Bother?" Jinora titled her head to get a look at his face. "It doesn't _bother_ me. I'd like to, I suppose, but I've accepted that we can't take that step." She pulled her arm that was across his chest further up, so her hand rested over his heart. "Our necklaces are as good as wedding rings." She glanced at the two necklaces hanging on either of their bedposts. "Does it bother you?" The look on his face, lips pursed with discomfort in his eyes was all the answer she needed. "I'm sorry," she said softly, snuggling closer to him.

"It's not your fault," he said immediately, his arm curling tighter around her.

"It's not yours either," she said just as quickly. "I think..." her eyelids drooped, heavy with sleep. "I think we've discussed enough problems today, that we can leave this for the morning?" she yawned.

"If that's what you want," he replied, but she knew he still wasn't entirely at ease, that feelings of inadequacy were still just underneath the surface as he brushed his fingers over her cheek, and she grabbed them as she shook her head. She wouldn't go to sleep with him like this.

"It's not what I want," she kissed his fingers. "The only thing I want is you."

His eyes softened as he leaned in to kiss her and she melted into him, into the mattress of their bed, feeling truly relaxed for the first time since they had docked, as he pressed his mouth more firmly against hers. They'd be okay, she knew, as she wound her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. She felt him relax under her hands, and he pulled away from her lips a few minutes later, both of them slightly breathless as he pulled her closer to him, and they finally managed to drift off to sleep, wrapped up in each other's arms.

They'd be more than okay.

* * *

Kai had often said that Yung worried too much. The first mate always replied it was an occupational hazard of looking after a boy who was as reckless and impulsive as Kai was. Even if she never said so, Jinora thought that Yung did have a point. At least now Kai was willing to admit he had a certain talent for attracting trouble. She hoped that they'd be out of Port Bosco and Republic City by the time that trouble caught up to them.

She was glad though, when Yung offered to walk up to the mansion with them, saying he needed to go over some figures with Kai. Spring was one of the busiest trading times of the year, and Kai seemed far more at ease, some of the tenseness in his shoulders falling away as he and Yung chatted, her listening contently but not really paying attention, as they walked up to the house.

Meelo and Rohan were sitting in the gardens at a Pai Sho table while Pema spoke with one of their gardeners, although Jinora couldn't remember his name nor face. Maybe her family had gotten some new servants in her absence. 10 months was an awfully long time. She still couldn't believe how much Meelo and Rohan especially had grown.

"Kai!" Rohan sprang up from his chair, his face lit up.

The Captain turned away from Yung and smiled, sticking his hands in his pockets. "Hey kiddo. You're awfully cheerful."

"I just beat Meelo in Pai Sho," Rohan said excitedly. "Look!" he pointed to the board, before catching sight of Yung. "Is this one of your men?"

"This is my first mate Yung," Kai grinned, as Pema finished up her talk with the gardener and peeled off her dirty gloves.

"Ah, we've met before," Pema strode over with a warm smile. "Mr. Yung, correct?"

Yung shook her hand. "Yes ma'am, it's a pleasure to see you again. I was just speaking with the Captain about some monetary business, but I'll take my leave now."

"There's no need," Pema said. "We were just about to have tea, would you like to join us?"

"Oh, er," Yung looked from Kai and Jinora and then back to Pema. It couldn't hurt for them to have someone else on their side, and Yung had already spent years defending Kai from pirates. Why should Jinora's family be any different? "I'd be delighted," he smiled, and Kai let out a long exhalation of relief. "I gotta look after my kid after all."

Kai lightly bumped his shoulder against Yung's. "I'm not a kid anymore, I'm 23 years old."

"Once a kid, always a kid to me Cap," Yung said cheerfully. "I remember when he was this tall, even shorter than you," he kept a hand near Rohan's shoulder.

"Shorter than me?" he gaped.

"Shorter than you," Yung repeated joyfully, and Kai suspected his first mate was having far too much fun taking a stab at him.

Kai chuckled softly. "I was nine Yung, what did you expect?"

"I wasn't expecting you at all, to be honest," Yung grinned. "Just goes to show some of the best things are unexpected." He clapped Kai on the shoulder while the Captain ducked his head and smiled. He would forever be grateful for Yung, not just for giving him a chance, but for not giving up on him no matter how hard it got, and Kai knew it had been far from easy. Yung squeezed his shoulder before letting go. "And that first impressions aren't always accurate."

Kai snorted, and glanced up at Jinora, who squeezed his hand, the smile on her face mirroring his own. He could recall Jinora walking onto _The Waterbender_ for the first time, her head held high, and how they had immediately got off on the worst foot possible. It was hard to imagine exactly how he had been able to dislike her so intensely, when now Jinora never failed to make him happy.

"You can say that again," Jinora's smile grew.

"So is Kai really your fiancé?" Rohan asked Jinora, as they started in towards the house. "Because that's what you told Ms. Moto-"

"Not yet," said Kai, tugging Jinora into his side slightly. "Not officially, anyway."

Jinora flushed, her smile softening as they entered the house and Pema led them to the small tea room, tucked away towards one of the wide windows facing the sea. There was a vase with flowers in it on the circular table in the centre, even a doily underneath. Pema sat at the head of the table and smoothed down her skirt, having her sons on either side of her while Kai and Jinora sat side by side. Jinora took his hand underneath the table and stroked her thumb over the back of his hand.

She looked towards the entrance as her father walked in with her sister in tow. "Sorry Dear Ikki and I were-" Tenzin caught sight of Yung and raised his eyebrows. "Oh, hello...sir."

"I invited Yung to tea Dear," Pema smiled. "He was kind enough to accept."

Tenzin's smile looked a little strained as he sat down. "How nice." Clearly, the Governor didn't love the idea of having more pirates in his home, and Kai decided that if he made any snide remarks about Yung, the fact that he was Jinora's father be damned: no one badmouthed his first mate.

The Governor politely inquired about where Yung had grown up though, and Kai had a feeling he didn't need to worry as Yung began answering. The information wasn't anything Kai hadn't heard a hundred times before: Yung had been born and raised, for the first 12 years of his life, in Gaoling, located in the southern part of the Earth Kingdom. Then, after Yung's mother had passed away from illness, he had lived permanently on a ship with his father, who was a sailor. From there, the path to being a pirate had been pretty straightforward, and Yung had joined Zaheer's crew as one of the _Waterbender_ 's first members when he was 22 years old.

"You never thought about settling down?" Tenzin said curiously, and Kai was surprised at the sincerity in his voice. The Captain supposed Yung seemed far more reachable than Kai, as they were around the same age, and Yung and Tenzin didn't have any real reason to dislike each other.

"Nah. Didn't see any real reason to. I didn't plan on having kids," Yung said cheerfully. "Then this one," he nudged Kai's shoulder, "had to interrupt my plans. I'm glad though. Rohan actually reminds me a bit of him at that age. Except far more well behaved."

"I wasn't that bad," Kai said, trying to sound annoyed but he was grinning.

Yung threw him a look. "Are you really going to lie to me after all these years?" Kai just laughed. "Insufferable. You know, one time, we thought he had gone overboard, but no, he had just fallen asleep in the crow's nest. Part of me wanted to throw him overboard just for that."

Tenzin smiled a little. "Meelo's a tad rambunctious as well. Having him and Ikki being away at boarding school for the majority of the year can make enforcing discipline difficult at times."

"Try having a 16 year old suddenly in charge of everyone, who has to talk back every time you try to ground him for his own good," Yung said sagely. "And he has a death wish. He ends up in the infirmary more than anyone else, but that's mostly from taking the blows for us, mind you."

"I'm the _Captain_ ," Kai interjected. "It's my job to take care of you guys. If that means I get a little bruised along the way, then so be it," he shrugged, and then suddenly grew self-conscious when he realized Tenzin was staring at him. He looked away from the Governor and focussed on Yung, and the feel of Jinora's hand in his. Kai cleared his throat. "So, um, Meelo, how's school?"

"Fine," Meelo said stonily. "Grades are okay, although dad's pushing for them to go up and be as good as Jinora's, since he wants me to be Governor now." Meelo shot Kai a slight glare, and the pirate sat back, slightly perplexed, while Jinora returned Meelo's glare with one of her own.

How, exactly, Tenzin guiding Meelo towards a political path was Kai's fault, he had no clue. Maybe Jinora's family just liked to blame him for things? But then, as he tuned out the conversation around him, maybe it was kind of his fault. The man Jinora married would have been a shoo-in for the position, but now, with Jinora's choice being well, him, that wasn't an option now. So the fate had befallen the next eligible candidate. Well, if that was the case, Kai thought with a frown, Meelo needed to reassess where he was directing his feelings. Kai hadn't asked for things to be like this any more than Meelo had, and besides, the boy was 16. Wasn't it time he acted like it? When Kai had been his age, he had been Captain, saddled with a new kind of staggering responsibility. Then again, it wasn't like he had handled it all that well his first year. It had been terrible, and if not for Yung, he didn't want to think of where things could have gone and -

"Kai?"

He perked up and realized everyone was staring at him, but looked to Jinora who had called out for him and flushed. _Great._ "Is everything alright, you looked kind of out of it?" she said slowly.

"Yeah," Kai said immediately, more out of instinct than an accurate depiction of how he was actually feeling. "Yeah everything's-" He caught sight of Pabu running up from the gardens, a worried look on the redhead's face. Everyone else followed his gaze, while Pabu said something to one of the servants and then entered the mansion, making a beeline for the tea room. Kai was on his feet, as was Yung by the time he entered, with Jinora rising from her chair.

"Kai something's," Pabu wheezed, his face nearly as red as his hair as he fought to catch his breath.

"Something's wrong?" Kai guessed, and Pabu nodded.

"Skoochy. Fight, in town, it's still - going on," Pabu managed out.

Kai's brow furrowed as he placed a hand on Pabu's shoulder. "Alright," he glanced back at the Gyatsos. "I'm so sorry, but I have to go take care of this, Gyatso you can stay here-"

"Like hell," Jinora said, meeting his gaze and crossing her arms over his chest. Tenzin clamped his hands over Rohan's ears. "I'm coming with you."

"Fine," Kai relented. He didn't have time to argue. "Yung, Gyatso, let's go. Pabu, you can lead the way."

"Maybe you better go too dear," Pema spoke up, looking at her husband. "As Governor you may be able to smooth things over." Her tone made it clear it wasn't exactly a suggestion, and Tenzin sighed.

"We'll be back soon I'm sure," Tenzin said gravely, and most reluctantly, followed his daughter and the three pirates out the door.

Everything was most certainly not alright.


	5. Lee Sono

**Compass**

* * *

Chapter Five:  
Lee Sono

* * *

"I swear to God Skoochy better have had a good reason for this," said Kai impatiently, drumming his fingers on the railing of the ferry that was crossing the short distance between Air Temple Island and the rest of Port Bosco. "If he's gotten himself gutted in some backend alleyway I'm gonna-" he huffed in frustration, but his anger faded as Jinora laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sure Skoochy's fine," she said firmly yet kindly. "Or at least, it's nothing that Longshot can't fix." They had stopped briefly by the _Waterbender_ to pick up the medic, who was now standing silently next to Pabu. "Relax Captain, it'll be fine."

Kai ran a hand through his hair. "I know, I just..." he sighed. "Can't help it. Pabu, go over the details again?"

"Last I saw Skoochy was up against at least five men, but it seemed like there were more," Pabu explained, not for the first time. Kai had frowned upon first hearing it: Skoochy knew full well he could only usually take three men at a time. "So I ran to get you. I don't know how the fight started, but if it takes a turn for the worst...I think I saw a knife."

Kai fished out his dagger and twirled the hilt in between his fingers before gripping it tightly. "I can take care of that. It was South from here, along Wan's Avenue?"

"Yeah," Pabu said. "You know that part of the city well?" Having joined only two years prior to Kai becoming Captain, sometimes Pabu wondered if he was missing part of the puzzle that the older members of the crew had no trouble completing, Yung especially. Besides Jinora, no one knew Kai better than Yung.

"Ran off there once and right into a gang," Kai shrugged. "I was thirteen."

"Scared me to death," Yung muttered and Kai rolled his eyes.

"I was fine."

"Coming home with a broken rib is not fine," Yung replied. "Why'd you get involved with them anyway...wait, was that the time with the old lady?" Kai nodded. At Jinora's questioning look, Yung added, "Captain's got a hero-saving complex. There was this little old lady, rich I think but not upper class who got cornered in some alleyway and Kai, scrawny little thirteen year old stepped in. And got a broken rib."

"I wasn't going to let them harass an old lady," Kai said grumpily. "You would've done the same thing. And my rib healed perfectly fine thanks to Longshot." He nodded appreciatively in the medic's direction. "How much longer till we reach the shore?"

"Only a few minutes," Jinora answered, her brow furrowing when she saw how restless he still was.

Kai sheathed his dagger, frowning as the ferry boat pulled into port. He didn't want for the ship to fully stop moving, hopping the railing and landing neatly on the deck. Jinora considered doing the same but ruled against it, as her skirt was longer than usual. Still, she, Yung, Pabu, Longshot, and her father were off the boat the second it moored, Pabu jogging to catch up with Kai.

"Take a right here," the redhead directed, as they reached their first turn in the street. They turned away from the shining shops for the upper class towards the poorer section of the city. Jinora had long ago grown accustomed to the dirt and grime that came with the markets and parts of town she and her crew frequented, but she wondered how her father would take it. And, she was a little worried about Kai. He was protective over all the crew, but he seemed more so right now, and it unnerved her.

"Does he seem...?" Jinora spoke out of the corner of her mouth, speaking quietly to Yung who was walking beside her with Tenzin on her other side.

"Skoochy's always been a special case," Yung kept his voice low. "'Cause of the whole slave thing, and they understand the whole tragic past business better than anyone on the ship. Skoochy's been having a bit of a rough time lately. Nightmares."

"I'll whip-up a dreamless potion for him then," Longshot said. "When we get back."

"Besides," Yung added, "they were both alone for a while, so I guess they just sort of adopted each other as brothers, in a way."

Jinora nodded, pursing her lips. It did make sense. Sometimes, after nightmares when Kai couldn't fall back asleep, even with her help, he would be dead tired in the mornings, still a little antsy and upset. An understanding look would pass between him and Skoochy, and they'd go up on the deck to smoke. Jinora didn't know if they actually talked, but she thought they likely didn't need to.

Pabu took them down a sharp turn through a thin alleyway, which opened up into a wider expanse of street with tall buildings of stone, a makeshift town square for the seedier market. There was a crowd gathered around of of stalls with tall wooden posts, and Kai narrowed his eyes once he saw what everyone was watching. A man with a green uniform and a whip in one hand, pale yellow letters of _APA_ emblazoned across the back stood over another man kneeling on the ground with his hands bound to the post.

"Skoochy," Kai breathed, as the former slave looked up, and Kai could see the angry red lines forming underneath his shirt from the whip. "Hey," Kai began to push past people, forcing his way to the front of the crowd. He saw the uniformed man raise the whip. "Stop it!" He darted in front and felt the leather wrap around his raised forearm, snapping against his arm. Ignoring the pain, Kai yanked it out of the officer's grip. "What the hell are you doing?!"

Kai didn't want for an answer as he dropped the whip and took out his dagger, undoing Skoochy's bonds with a quick swipe. Longshot and Pabu were there in an instant, helping their crewmate to his feet.

"How dare you?" the officer shrieked, but took a step back when Kai whirled around to face him, his dagger still is hand. "This is none of your business-"

"It's my business when you're whipping one of my men," Kai seethed. "What claim do you have? Who authorized this?"

"You have no right to question an officer like this," the man said. "And put your dagger away! That man needs to be punished according to protocol-"

"And what was his offence?" Kai demanded, angrily shoving his dagger back into its sheath.

"He was disturbing the peace," the officer sniffed. "He initiated a street brawl."

"I don't see the men he fought being beaten though," Kai growled, a sharp edge in his voice.

"They ran off, he did not." As the officer raised his head with a small infuriately superior smile, rolling back his sleeves importantly - was that an attempt to intimidate him, Kai wondered, because it was pathetic - Kai caught a flash of the golden watch on the man's wrist, and he understood.

"Oh, were those thugs rich pretty boys like you? Pals of yours, and you figured, what's the harm in beating down someone of a lower class?" Kai's vision was going red. In the pirate world, class didn't matter as much; what mattered was how good you were with a sword. Yet every time he thought he got away from snobs with their classist ideals it came back and smacked him in the face.

"I was following Kuvira's newly installed protocol," the officer said importantly.

"Well your protocol's a piece of shit and so are you," Kai snarled, his hand dropping to his sword hilt despite himself.

He heard Yung mutter, "Oh boy," under his breath but paid his first mate no heed.

The officer's eyes widened in anger and he spluttered, but Kai cut him off before he could form anything coherent. "Where's your Captain? Who authorized this shit? Answer me, dammit!" He felt Yung's hand on his shoulder and looked away from the officer's face, which was draining of colour.

"Calm yourself down Cap," Yung said, peeling Kai away and forcing him to take a couple steps back.

Kai let his rage falter, knowing that Yung was right, but he still glowered at the officer. "Where's your Captain?" he demanded again, his voice much quieter but with anger boiling underneath. "I need to speak with them."

"What is going on?" Another APA officer had elbowed his way through the crowd, and from the way the first officer shrank back, and the special embroidery stitched across his left breast - it read Sono, Kai managed to make out - he assumed that this was the Captain. Sono was tall, almost exactly Kai's height, with a square jaw and very pale skin, with short wavy black hair that was neatly groomed.

"This man disrupted the protocol procedure and has been threatening me," the first officer said in a voice that reminded Kai of a snake, ready to slither away and not take responsibility for his actions.

Sono rolled his eyes. "Gow, I hope you're not being overdramatic this time." Then, he finally turned his eyes to Kai, and he was surprised at the flash of recognition he saw in Sono's brown irises. "You!"

Kai stared at him. "Me?"

"You," Sono jabbed a finger at him. "You tried to take my eye out!"

Kai rolled his own eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. "You're going to have to be a little more specific." Indeed, that event had happened to many people, Yung included, but mostly to enemies, although in the case of Long Feng, Kai had succeeded in stabbing out the man's eye. He had heard through the grapevine the Captain wore an eye-patch now, although he hadn't had the satisfaction of seeing it yet. But in 14 years of being a pirate, Sono's statement certainly applied to a very long list of people. How could he expect Kai to remember every one?

"Four years ago, APA forces," Sono said bitterly.

A vague memory floated into Kai's mind of the one time they had run into Kuvira's forces, but all he could really remember about that day was that Yung had almost been stabbed by the Captain of the ship they had run into. "Oh, I remember now. But really, if I had been actually trying to take your eye out, you wouldn't still have it."

Yung face-palmed behind him. "I swear to God," he muttered. "Cap stop being a smartass for once in your life, and focus on Skoochy for God's sake."

Kai frowned, and he glanced over his shoulder to where Skoochy was sitting on the ground being treated by Longshot, with Pabu, Jinora and Tenzin hovering around him. "My friend, Skoochy, was bound to the post and whipped for 'disturbing the peace'," Kai made quotation marks with his fingers. Now that it was clear Sono knew who he was - knew that he was a pirate - they'd probably have to cut their trip short and get the hell out of town. Still, maybe Sono would actually be decent and not as much of an asshole as it seemed he would be, and not rat them out and do something about his underling's error in judgement.

Sono looked at Skoochy, and then at Tenzin, his eyes widening, before his gaze landed on Jinora. Sono stared at her as if she was a ghost. "Jinora?" he spoke her name in disbelief, and an alarm bell went off in Kai's head. The way Sono was looking at her reminded him of, well, how _he_ looked at Jinora, or at least how he imagined he did.

Jinora looked equally surprised. "Lee? You - it's been so long -" Kai saw her mouth try to smile, but she couldn't quite manage it. "I didn't realize you were..."

"I was positioned here just a few weeks ago," Sono grinned widely before it faltered. "What are you...? No." He shook his head, looking in between her and Kai as the pirate crossed over them, his eyebrows raised. "I heard the rumours, you can't-" Sono looked her up and down, taking in her attire. "It can't be true," his voice shook.

Jinora's brow furrowed as she frowned, and Kai saw her discomfort at having something that she preferred to keep private so out in the open. "Lee, it's..." she swallowed and glanced up at Sono, shrugging. "I don't know what the rumours say. I'm sure it's not nice things. But Kai and I, we..." She sighed and reached for Kai's hand. He immediately wound his fingers through hers, giving her hand a squeeze. "Lee, this is my boyfriend, Kai, Captain of the Waterbender. Kai, this is Lee Sono, one of the Captains of the Anti-Pirate Agency...and my ex-boyfriend."

There was a heavy silence, before Yung mumbled to Pabu, "Do not tell Appa or Imaru any of this do you understand me?" If there was one thing those two were better at than heavy lifting, it was spreading gossip all throughout the ship.

Kai didn't know what to say. His throat went dry. Jinora had never mentioned Lee. She had mentioned her past suitors with distaste, but Lee clearly hadn't been one of them. He had been different, something good, Kai was sure, judging by the cautious light in Jinora's eyes. Something good that had ended, but now... Kai swallowed hard, feeling jealousy claw at his skin, but it immediately vanished when he heard a weak moan of pain from Skoochy.

Kai dropped to his knees in front of his friend, looking worriedly to Longshot for a moment. "Skooch? How're you feeling buddy?"

Skoochy tightly gripped at Kai's arm, his eyes wide as Longshot finished tying up the bandages. "I thought - I thought I was back on the ships," he said in a hoarse whisper, his voice breaking as his body trembled. Kai smiled sadly as he realized Skoochy was talking about the slave ships he had been on. Being whipped must have brought back some awful memories.

"Nah Skooch, you're okay, you're free," Kai reassured him. Skoochy nodded, falling silent but still looking deeply troubled. Kai got to his feet, pulling Skoochy along with him as he glanced at Longshot. "How's his back?"

"It'll be fine," Longshot reported, packing up his small kit of medical supplies and rolling up what little remained of the bandages he had brought. "I'll just have to keep an eye out for infection."

"Excuse me, but he still has to complete his punishment-" Gow spoke up, and Kai rounded on him, grabbing Gow's collar and lifting him into the air with one hand.

"Shut up," Kai advised him. "Or I'll punch you in the mouth."

"Let him go," said Lee, frowning.

Kai glared at him, and then back up at Gow, but dropped him when Jinora laid a hand upon his shoulder. "You lay a finger on him or any of my men ever again and you'll answer to me, _do you understand_?" Kai hissed. Gow nodded nervously and Kai pushed him away. Sighing heavily, he turned to Lee. "So, what now? Are you going to arrest me?"

Jinora slipped her hand into Kai's.

Lee swallowed hard, looking torn. "I suppose...the protocol hasn't officially been put in place, as Gow is fully aware of, so for today, I can turn a blind eye."

"Thank you," Jinora said, which Kai thought it was fitting, because Lee had obviously made the decision for her.

Kai noticed Pabu struggling with Skoochy's weight as they headed back out of the town towards where the ferry was waiting for them after bringing over more of the crew, and let go of Jinora's hand, going to sling Skoochy's arm around his shoulders to help him walk. Skoochy seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness - Kai could speak from experience that the best way to get rid of physical pain was to sleep it off - but the Captain had no trouble carrying his dead weight, and not for the first time, Kai was grateful for his strength.

"You're bleeding," Yung noted, grabbing the arm where the whip had wrapped around Kai's forearm.

"It's nothing," Kai said, waving his free hand dismissively. "We can take care of it later."

He looked around for Jinora a moment and found her hanging in the back with Lee walking beside her. Discomfort burbled in his stomach, which he knew wasn't far. Jinora could talked to whoever she liked, even that person was an ex-boyfriend. An ex-boyfriend who surely came from the same high society background, who would have been a simpler, easier choice, who hunted pirates. An ex-boyfriend who had made Jinora happy, once.

Kai tried not to scowl, even when Yung could practically see the storms swirling inside his head.

Neither of them saw the way Jinora pursed her lips as she stared at the back of Kai's head, and then looked to Lee.

"I didn't want to believe it," Lee said quietly. "That you...you'd be with someone like _him_. A murderer, a liar, a thief. He's a pirate, Jinora, what happened to you? You had the world at your feet and then you threw it all away for one of the worst criminals?"

"I've changed," Jinora said just as quietly. "I'm not the same person I was five years ago Lee. Even a year ago. It's complicated, Lee. Pirates are people, good people."

"They've brainwashed you," Lee said decidedly. "Jinora, you haven't seen what I have. Pirates are the worst of the worst. Quil, Hama, Kai - they're all terrible. How can you believe otherwise?"

Jinora shushed him as they climbed onto the ferry. Half the crew was waiting for them, Ryu going to help Kai lower Skoochy into a sitting position.

"How is he?" Ryu asked, sounding almost worried for the first time Jinora could remember. Longshot told everyone Skoochy's condition, and then forced Kai to sit down so the medic could treat the thin cut on his arm. The rubbing alcohol stung only briefly before Longshot wrapped it up with the remaining bandages, and Kai forced himself to his feet.

"Men, this is Lee Sono," he introduced. "Gyatso's...friend."

Otaku nervously pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. "But doesn't he hunt pirates? It seems illogical to allow him to travel with us even for a short time period and-"

"You worry too much," Lefty said cheerfully, striding forwards. "Nice to meet you Lee. Everyone calls me Lefty - not because of the leg though, interestingly enough," he added, noticing the way Lee's eyes flickered downwards to his pegleg. Lefty didn't stick out his hand, instead jamming them into the pockets of his pants, which Kai thought was for the best because he doubted Lee would have shook it anyway. "The nervous one is our navigator Otaku, the redhead's Pabu, there's Yung our first mate and the medic is Longshot."

Lee hummed, frowning. "Nice to meet you," he said coldly, turning his attention back to Jinora.

"You should be nicer to my boys," Jinora said sourly. "But I know that's not happening overnight. Just don't insult them to their faces, alright? And not around me, because I won't stand for it."

"Alright," Lee agreed, looking a little surprised at the fierceness in her voice. "I still don't understand, and I'm still not going to agree, but..."

"Just give it a little time and you'll see where I'm coming from," Jinora said. "God, it's been so long since I last saw you." Her voice turned soft with nostalgia and fondness. Secondary school had been simpler, easier. They had attended the same one Meelo and Ikki were at, with Lee in the year above. They had been friends first, before dating, but then...

"How long have you, and uh, the pirate, been...together?" Lee asked, shuffling awkwardly.

"Just over six months," Jinora answered, her smile growing as she remember just how good things were now. Lee's reference to Kai reminded her of Tenzin's first few letters, as that's the only thing he would call him, along with the invitation to 'come home anytime if you change your mind'. Now, Tenzin usually just called him the Captain, the same way Kai called him the Governor.

"So near the end of your kidnapping," Lee said, his brow furrowing.

"That's why we're here, actually. He's getting to know my family better, and my siblings. Rohan in particular really likes him, admires him actually. It's sweet."

"You let him be around your baby brother?" Lee gaped.

"Yes," Jinora said shortly. "And Kai's been nothing but an excellent role model and friend to him, for the record. Now, if you'll give me a moment, I want to go check on Skoochy."

Kai was currently standing next to the man, arms crossed over his chest as he waited for Skoochy's answer as to why he had started the fight, although he had a pretty good guess at what it was. "Skoochy?" he repeated after the former slave hesitated.

Skoochy's gaze turned downwards, before looking back up at Kai while Jinora joined his side. "They were badmouthing you Cap!"

Kai sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I've told you a million times I don't care what people say-"

"And Jinora," Skoochy added.

Kai lowered his hand, and started at the other pirate. Finally, he gave a stiff little nod. "Okay, that is a kind of acceptable reason."

Jinora put her hands on her hips. "How so?" she said, a bit of hostility entering her voice.

Yung chanced a glance at the Governor. Tenzin had never seen his daughter argue with Kai, and it was going to be an interesting experience, surely.

"You know how," Kai said exasperatedly. "You're one of the crew and we all look out for each other-"

"Oh, so it's okay for Skoochy to look out for me, but not you? What makes you so special?" Jinora scowled. She hated when Kai did this and let his self-deprecating nature get the better of him. "Because you're the Captain? Because you're more capable of taking care of yourself?"

"Why do you always twist my words around?" Kai's eyes hardened. "Look, of course the crew looks out for me, but I don't want them getting in fights for me, I'm not worth it, but you are!"

"Why?" Jinora's voice grew softer. "Why aren't you worth it?"

Lefty, bless his heart Yung thought, took that moment to declare, "What beautiful weather we're having today eh?" and the rest of the crew followed suit, chattering mindlessly yet loudly.

"You know why," Yung just heard Kai say. He watched as Jinora pursed her lips and then stepped forward to hug him. Kai kept his arms wrapped loosely around her and pulled away first. Outside of anyone but the crew, and even then, Kai really was a very private person. "Thank you."

At least now, Yung thought happily, their fights and bickering weren't nearly as common, and they always made up in record time. He only hoped Lee Sono wouldn't put a wedge in that. He also hoped that Tenzin wasn't hoping for exactly the opposite.

"Governor," the first mate said quietly. "What was Lee, to Jinora, exactly?"

"If he hadn't gone to work for Kuvira, they likely would have been married," Tenzin said, his brow furrowing as he watched Jinora walk away from Kai and go back to Lee, who had been standing awkwardly apart from the crew.

"Because Kai doesn't have enough insecurity to deal with," Yung mumbled under his breath, not meaning for Tenzin to hear, but the Governor's eyes widened.

"He seems...fairly confident, most of the time," Tenzin said slowly, studying Kai as the Captain walked back to his men. "Even against Zaheer, or in the infirmary." But then, memories of Kai's momentary breakdown, and him and Yung's argument. _Why Kai? Why do you think that everyone else's life is more important than yours?!_ "I suppose his life hasn't been easy, however."

"Understatement," Yung said, and Tenzin supposed the first mate knew that better than anyone.

"Where...where did you find him?" Tenzin asked softly.

"Alleyway in Omashu," Yung answered. "Off Yoghin Street. He was pretty beat up, and you could see his ribs. I...I wonder sometimes," Yung's voice turned sad, "if he would have lasted the winter, if I hadn't found him." Yung shook his head, looking over to Kai and feeling tears well in his eyes. "He was so tiny, I used to be able to pick him up. Had to sometimes when he fell asleep at the dining table and I'd carry him to bed and now..." he sighed and turned back to Tenzin. "I love your daughter dearly, I do, I think of her as a sort of daughter myself, but I don't think she realizes just how badly she could hurt him, and the last thing Kai needs is more pain."

Tenzin was silent for a long moment, mulling over Yung's words. "Well, if it's any consolation, and even if I _am_ reluctant to admit it, I can see how devoted Jinora is to...to your boy. I don't think you have anything to worry about."

Yung cracked a smile as the ship pulled into the Island's docks. "Eh, I think I'll always worry. Part of being a parent, I guess."

Yung left Tenzin and joined Kai's side, clapping a hand on the Captain's shoulder as him and the rest of the crew, sans Jinora, disembarked from the ferry together. Jinora hung back to speak with Lee, still talking in hushed tones, pained expressions on both of their faces, before she left him and went to Kai, placing a hand on her lover's arm.

Tenzin stroked his beard as Kai gave her a smile, which faltered as soon as she looked away.

Well, no matter what happened, now that Lee was back, things would be interesting, to say the least.


	6. The Quil Massacre

**Compass**

* * *

Chapter Six:  
The Quil Massacre

* * *

To say that the walk back up to the mansion was tense was an understatement. Most of the crew walked ahead, and Yung was tempted to join them - anything to get away from the awkwardness radiating from Jinora, Kai, and Lee, who were walking together, the two boys on either side of her. But, then, Yung figured, he wasn't first mate for nothing, and if he could brave ferocious pirates and bounty hunters, than he could handle some tension.

"Lee and I met at secondary school," Jinora explained. "He was a year above, so you're the same age."

"I think that's the only thing that's similar," Kai quipped under his breath and Yung had to stifle a smile. Jinora frowned at him. "What? I'm being honest. He's a stick in the mud-"

"Who can still arrest you," Lee warned.

"I'd like to see you try," Kai replied, shrugging, and Jinora winced.

She threw out her arms and stopped both men in their tracks. "Alright, enough," she said tersely. "Here's the deal: you're both going to be civil. And respectful, to each other, if not for yourselves, but for me."

Kai stuck his tongue in his cheek, meeting Jinora's eyes and despite the fire in them, also saw softness as she looked at him. He sighed as she lowered her arms, and ran a hand through his hair. "Fine," he bit out.

"Thank you," she murmured, grabbing his fingers and giving them a quick squeeze. "Lee?" she asked, as she released Kai's hand. He was glad when she didn't take Lee's, though.

Lee looked torn, but he finally said, "Yeah alright. I can't sink lower than a pirate."

Kai rolled his eyes but didn't say anything. Jinora thought sadly, that after all this time, Kai must have been used to being looked down upon. "Okay Sono," Kai cleared his throat and turned towards the man, "let's get one thing straight: you can treat me like shit, I honestly don't care. I've had worse. But you go after my crew again, and there'll be hell to pay."

"Is that supposed to intimidate me?" Lee raised an eyebrow. "I've met scarier pirates than you, and I've taken them down."

"Talk to me after you've actually been to Paradise," Kai replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

Paradise, Jinora had learned, was anything but. It was the pirate's term for the unofficial pirate capitol of the world, which real name was Tiantang, located in the Qiángdào Bay, otherwise known as Bandit Bay. The pirate names were a good way to throw authorities and anyone who wasn't involved in pirate business for a loop, and the new names were used so often there was no point in using the original. Paradise was the most lawless place in the world, full of pirates, slave masters, bounty hunters and thieves, of the worst and best sorts.

Both of Lee's eyebrows came up, this time in surprise. "You've actually been?"

"A few times, when I was younger," Kai shrugged. "Wasn't to my taste. After you realize the public executions aren't fazing you, it got a bit too brutal to bear. Besides, we only went there before I was Captain. We don't have a reason to now. Why?"

""It's the jackpot for bringing down pirates," said Lee in annoyance, as if the answer should have been obvious. "Every APA officer, Kuvira herself, would kill for the way in."

Kai grinned. "Pirates only, I'm afraid." He winced when Yung smacked him upside the head. "Ow, what was that for?"

"You don't get to be so cheerful about Paradise when you ran off there once," Yung admonished. "Stupidest thing you've ever done, and that is saying something."

"You ran off in Paradise?" Jinora stared at Kai, wide-eyed. Yung must have been beside himself with worry. "What were you thinking?"

Kai frowned. "I was 10, so I kind of wasn't, and it's...complicated. I'll tell you later, okay?" He glanced at Lee, who looked absolutely shocked, and Jinora let the subject drop. She knew if she asked, or pressed it, he'd likely tell her even if Lee was there, depending on how bad things had gotten, but she wasn't going to make him. Kai's past was first and foremost his business, and she was content to learn it piece by piece. She knew it wasn't easy for him, and likely never would be.

She took his hand. "Okay."

He smiled a little. "Thank you."

"Captain," Lee began after a moment, scowling. "I have to ask. Have you ever met Quil? He's the-"

"Captain of the Blood Moon Pirates and head of the Eastern and Western slave trade," Kai finished darkly, his smile fading. "Not in person, but I've met plenty of his men. He offered me a job once. As if."

Lee stared at him. "So, you don't participate in the slave trade?"

"Participate? Oh yeah," Kai nodded. "We're a real thorn in its side. We liberate. The man who was being whipped in the market," _by one of your men,_ "Skoochy, he's a former slave. Liberated nearly 5 years ago. The whipping brought back some memories, I'm afraid...I should check on him, actually, if you don't mind Jin-"

"There's no need," Yung said. "Longshot's patched him up and Ryu's got him his cigarettes, so he'll cope pretty well. The crew'll take care of him, only half are going into town to work today." At Kai's frown, Yung added, "He'll be fine, Kai."

"Fine," Kai sighed. "If no one has time to do his chores, I'll take care of it myself when we head back to the ship."

"Imaru said he would take care of it," Yung reported. "Don't worry about it Cap, your job's done for the day. Just don't reopen that wound." He gestured to the bandages on Kai's forearm. "You're lucky it wasn't worse."

"I'm always lucky it wasn't worse," Kai replied smoothly, shrugging. "What about you, Sono? You must get some injuries in your line of work."

"A few," said Lee quietly. "I'm just talented enough to avoid them, usually. I can handle three men on my own. You?"

"Six," Kai smirked. "On a bad day. Eight on a good one. Looks like you have some catching up to do Sono."

Lee scowled but didn't say anything, so Jinora spoke up instead. "I was in Lee's Advanced English class, so that's why we got to know each other," she explained. "He's the son of the one of the Republic's Lords, Lord Topher Sono. Lord Topher owns large expanses of farmland outside the city, but he lives downtown. Lee's older brother is going to take over the business."

"So you went to work for Kuvira?" Kai asked, a frown tugging at his lips.

"Yeah," Lee said. "Pirates are a plague on the populous. They need to be brought down."

"Pirates are a vital part of the economy and trade though," Kai stuck his thumbs in his pockets, his shoulders rising and falling in a shrug. "It's cheap trade all over the world, and even some of the illegal stuff is paid for by the upper class so they can profit off it anyway."

"Then why are pirates considered the lowest class besides slaves?" said Lee coldly, staring at him.

"Ignorance of what poverty actually is, most of the time," Kai gave him a strained little smile. "The rich don't understand that not everyone has the opportunities they do." They had reached the staircase of the back porch of the mansion. Jinora climbed up the stairs first, and then Kai. "Watch your step, Sono."

Lee muttered something under his breath that Kai didn't catch as they entered the house. Pema entered the small foyer off the breakfast and tea rooms, looking relieved.

"Your father came up a moment ago," she said. "But I was wondering when you'd come. Is your crew member alright?"

"He'll be fine, but your concern is appreciated, Mrs. Gyatso," Kai said with a small smile that Pema returned.

"Good, that's - Lee!" Pema exclaimed as the man stepped forward. "My, it's been a long time," she smiled widely. "What are you doing here? I mean, excuse my manners, how are you doing?"

"It's alright, Pema," Lee said easily. His posture had relaxed, and Kai wondered how many family dinners Lee had attended, how easy it must have been for him to win over Jinora's family. He was one of them, after all, the son of a Lord, an esteemed member of high society; all the same background, status, no complications whatsoever. Kai struggled to even imagine it. "I've been doing well, I've been a Captain for a year now. But how are you and Tenzin?"

Kai wanted to tune it out. The way the words rolled off Lee's tongue so easily, how he was on a _first-name basis_ with the Governor. Lee had made Jinora happy, once. The relationship had been easy - not just easy, but the perfect choice. Why had it ended? Kai doubted Lee had made the choice, judging by the way the man looked at Jinora. What had been the deal breaker, the flaw in an otherwise perfect contract? Was it because Lee had gone to work for Kuvira? Would that still be an issue now? Would-

"Kai?"

Jinora's voice was quiet, but it pulled him back to reality as she slipped her fingers through his and squeezed his hand. He looked at her, the tenderness in her eyes, and his throat burned. "Sorry, I was just spacing out," he murmured, squeezing her fingers. He forced a smile. "I'm okay."

Jinora pursed her lips - had she seen through his smile? She was getting better and better at reading him - but didn't say anything, instead gripping his hand tighter.

"So," he caught Lee saying quietly to Pema, "you approve?"

"I didn't meet Kai under the best of circumstances," said Pema. "But I'm very glad I met him. He's a sweet boy, once you get to know him a little."

Kai flushed, while Jinora smiled at him. At least he had one parent on his side. "Thank you, Mrs. Gyatso."

Lee's frown deepened, a crease forming in his brow, as he looked between Pema and Kai. "You...you have no idea what he's done, do you? He's a murderer-"

"They know I have blood on my hands," Kai cut him off sharply. "The Governor watched me kill the former Captain of my ship. Killing is part of a pirate's lifestyle, but I avoid it when I can."

"But do they know-"

Rohan ambled into the room and Lee quickly shut his mouth. "Lee! You're back," the boy said, surprised. There was a roll of paper in Rohan's hand. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well," Lee replied. "You've gotten so tall. What have you got there?"

"A star chart," Rohan unfurled it quickly. "Kai said I could show him some so," he handed it over to the pirate. "Here!"

"Rohan, sweetie," Pema began. "Kai might not-"

The Captain ducked his head and laughed. "It's alright, really." His eyes scanned the chart quickly. "Hmm, lemme guess which sea it is. The Tiě Sānjiǎo Sea?" Rohan nodded, looking pleased. "We only sail there when we're looking for trouble," he exchanged a knowing look with Jinora. The sea, otherwise known as the Iron Triangle, was where a lot of transportation of slaves took place. Ah, there's the Serpent, and there's the Singing Sirens," he pointed to a thick cluster of stars. "That one's particularly tricky to map out, y'know, since the stars blur into each other sometimes."

"I had to redo it four times," Rohan said wisely.

"I'm impressed," Kai told him. "I think you're better at this than I am, kiddo." Rohan practically glowed under the praise, and Kai grinned as he ruffled Rohan's hair, forgetting for a moment all about Skoochy and Lee and all the trouble that had been stirred up that morning. "Our navigator is always pretty busy, but the oldest member on the crew knows a lot about stars, he could show you some stuff too, if you'd like."

"Yeah, that'd be awesome!"

"But get your homework done first," Kai added, and Rohan pouted. Jinora chuckled softly, while Lee just looked surprised.

"You sound like Jinora," he whined.

"Your sis is a good influence on me," Kai smiled. "And you're lucky you get to go to school. Not all kids get that chance, you know. I didn't."

"Ugh," Rohan frowned. "Fine." He looked up at Kai, hesitating, before asking, "So you didn't go to school? Ever?"

Kai rubbed the back of his neck. "Nah. Never had the uh, right circumstances. Pirates aren't usually the most educated people, we learn math and things like that as we go. Most pirates start out on a crew in their teens or early twenties, so they get some schooling, even if it's not great." He cleared his throat.

He hated talking about things like this, where the lacking qualities of his life were made obvious, not because he was unwilling to own up to it - his life hadn't been easy, and that applied to all his men - nor was he worried about people thinking they were better than him. But pity, God, seeing someone look at him with _pity_ in their eyes was the worst. No one should have felt sorry for him. His life could have been way worse, and he had coped and built a life for himself, and it was pretty good, as far as he was concerned. Not perfect, but good, and he was grateful for it.

He had worked hard to get this far, and he refused to let anything, let alone someone like Sono, tear it apart.

Tenzin entered the room and wrapped an arm around Pema's waist. "So, you're all caught up with the scenario, I assume. Ikki and Meelo were in town but they're returning for a late lunch. Lee, you're welcome to join us as well."

"Thank you Tenzin, I'd be glad to," Lee said, smiling slightly as he looked from the Governor to Jinora.

Kai puffed out his cheeks and then let out a long exhale. Well, this was going to be interesting. At least, no matter what, he had Yung. As if sensing how he was feeling, the first mate clapped a hand on his shoulder. They had counted on each other to watch each other's backs in battle, and this wouldn't be any different, even if instead of fighting against swords and pirates, it'd be nasty words and prejudice.

"Thanks," Kai muttered, as they walked to the dining room together, where Ikki and Meelo greeted them.

Yung smiled at him. "Always, kiddo."

* * *

Kai had never been so uncomfortable. And it was saying something, seeing as he had walked into walls due to being drunk before, or gotten himself tangled up in the rope grid when he was fourteen for a good twenty minutes before his crew had stopped laughing long enough to help him out of it.

As always, life just seemed to want to remind him that he was much, much better at dealing with physical problems than emotional ones. Lee chatted so effortlessly with the Gyatsos, smooth where Kai stumbled, laughing where Kai smiled nervously, his history and shared past making it smooth sailing whereas Kai had hardly ever sailed choppier waters. Lee remembered that Ikki and Meelo both liked art, that Jinora had always been top of her grade, that Pema's favourite flowers were pandalilies and were blooming beautifully in her garden, that Tenzin had been Governor like his father, Aang, before him.

Kai had nearly drowned once, tipped over the railing of the Waterbender and into the sea after only a few months of being on the ship, the result being Yung had drilled him through swimming lessons until he could tread water in his sleep. He could remember the water though, spilling over into his mouth, filling his throat, choking and gasping and struggling to stay afloat.

And maybe he was being a little overdramatic, but sitting at the table while the conversation buzzed around him felt a little like that.

He was just glad Rohan had eaten earlier and wasn't here, even if the kid might've steered the conversation away from some more sensitive topics. Like, for example, the slave trade.

"There are certain areas raided primarily for slaves, mostly around the northern coast of the Earth Kingdom, past Ba Sing Se, if we want to put a stop to it we really need better security-" Lee was saying, when Kai cut in.

"That won't work," he said simply.

Lee turned towards him and raised an eyebrow. "Really?" he said, an edge in his voice. "How so?"

Kai was suddenly very aware that all eyes were on him. "The areas aren't just raided. Whole families of slaves are kept, and bred there. The ships carry them through the various rivers and seas, past surveillance towers using sea witch magic that comes directly out of Par- Tiantang, to cloud them. If security does spot them, they're bribed or blackmailed not to report it. If you want to take down the slave system, you need to dismantle the power imbalance in prisons, like the South Stairs."

"That's the most monitored prison in the world," Tenzin said, furrowing his brow.

"It's Quil's territory," Kai continued. "He uses his connections to blackmail guards or have them on the inside. Why do you think there's so many people getting murdered in there? Anyone who isn't one of his gets taken out. The slave traders know they aren't going to lose their power by going to jail, it's hardly a punishment. Take out that control, and Quil loses his control over the legal system. It can be less corrupt as a whole, and slave traders will actually be having something to lose by breaking the law. Besides, if Ba Sing Se wasn't so uneven in their distribution of wealth, more people would be able to afford living in the city rather than on the outskirts, and that would deplete the slave sources anyway."

Tenzin stared at him, and then slowly, nodded. "I suppose that makes a great deal of sense... and you say you've never received any schooling?"

"No sir," Kai swallowed nervously. "I just, understand leadership I guess. Besides, I'd love to see Quil get taken down. He kind of hates me."

"What a surprise," Lee muttered under his breath.

Kai rolled his eyes. He had possibly scored one point, against Lee's dozens, and the man really had to take a shot at him? Then again, Kai thought, Jinora was holding his hand, not Lee's. That was worth more than a billion points.

"Would you like to go over the list of my enemies?" Kai asked dryly, and Jinora bit back a smile. "Because if you do, we'll be here for a while."

"I can attest to that," Yung added.

"I would assume nothing less seeing as you've been a pirate for how long, exactly?" Lee said, and something about his tone unnerved Kai.

"For fourteen years," he answered.

"So since you were nine?"

"Yes." It came out a tad defensive and Kai internally winced. He couldn't help it though. Why did Sono even care? Why was he insisting on pulling his past out in front of everyone? Kai knew that Ikki and Meelo probably didn't know much and - and he didn't want pity he didn't - and he knew the question Lee was going to ask before he said it.

"And your parents were alright with that?"

Kai scowled. "They died when I was a toddler," he said tartly. Jinora squeezed his hand and he relaxed a little.

"And what did you do in between those years?"

Kai slipped his hand out of Jinora's. "Why do you want to know?" he said, struggling not to sound hostile. He couldn't lose his cool. Not here, not now, not in front of Jinora's stupid ex-boyfriend...

"I'm just curious," Lee said casually, and Kai grit his teeth. Everyone was staring at him again, and he could see surprise on Meelo's face, pity welling up in Ikki's eyes. _No._

"Well I don't appreciate your curiosity," Kai snapped.

Lee held up his hands. "Alright. But, I have to say, people are only defensive when they have something to hide. What are you hiding, Captain?"

"Nothing," Kai said immediately.

"Lee, stop it," Jinora said sharply.

"He's hiding something even from you," Lee said, looking at her with pleading eyes. "You need to know what type of man he is-"

Jinora felt a rush of indignation. "I know what type of man he is and he's a good one-"

"He slaughtered a whole crew once, 25 men, even _after_ they had surrendered!" Lee spat. There was a thick silence, Jinora's mouth opening and closing.

"T-that's ridiculous," she said angrily. "That's - tell him that's ridiculous-" she turned to her boyfriend, who had a blank expression, the usual light in his eyes completely shut down. Her voice faltered and turned quiet. "Kai?" He looked at her with dead eyes, and her heart sank. It - it couldn't be true. But it was.

"You don't understand what you're talking," Yung snapped, rising from the table. "You-"

"Yung," Kai spoke up, his voice quiet and surprisingly steady, with a low growl.

"But-"

"Stand. Down. That's an order." Kai threw Yung a sharp look, and reluctantly, his first mate sat down. Kai swallowed and stared at the table for a moment, before his eyes flickered up to Lee. "You wanna know? You really wanna know? Fine. I'll tell you. I was 17, I had been Captain for under a year, and...I wasn't handling it very well. I was cracking, under the pressure. The nightmares..." the iciness in Kai's tone faded. "The nightmares were bad. So one day, we saw one of Quil's ships on the horizon. Their flags weren't up, they weren't showing any hostility...we had never liberated one of their ships before, so we just waited it out and let it approach us."

"And they came onboard, and they offered me a job. Said Quil had heard about me beating Zaheer, said he was _interested in my potential._ Bullshit. And I told them so." Kai cracked a smile, his pain caught in between his teeth. "They didn't like that too much. So, they started saying how they wondered, if Quil would still want me, if he knew I was...if he knew I was a filthy halfbreed."

"I didn't know what they were talking about. I didn't - I don't, know anything about my parents. Jobs, names, nothing. Only that I have my mother's eyes. They just laughed. They started going on about how they had known a woman, with my eyes. That I was dead ringer for her."

Jinora felt her throat and eyes burn as she realized just where this was going. She placed her hand on Kai's, but he shrugged her off, his hands digging into the table cloth, as if he was trying to steady himself.

"Kai," Yung said softly. "You don't have to-"

"And then they said they wondered if we screamed the same. You see, apparently my mother had been a slave on their ship. They knew I had her eyes, said she had been sold off in Omashu, where I can probably safely assume I was born. They said they used to tie her up...take turns having their way with her. That she was a lot of fun, except when she cried. Then they would just laugh." Kai clenched his jaw, his whole body tensing as he shut his eyes. "So I...snapped. I slit one of their throats. And then another before he could get his sword out."

"They all came at me, so my crew came to help, but I didn't need it...I killed half of them by myself before the fight was over and they surrendered. And then I chopped the rest of their heads off, nice and quick and clean. Better than they deserved. But when I came to the last one, it was just a kid. He didn't seem to be any older than me. And I knew what it was like, to get caught up with the wrong people, so I spared him." Kai swallowed hard. "I never claimed to be a good man, now you know one of the reasons why."

He stared at the table and released the table cloth, his knuckles still white. His heart throbbed painfully in his throat.

Kai pushed himself up from the table and gave another pain-filled smile. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need some air."

He made it to the exit of the dining hall and almost to the back door when Jinora stood up. "Kai-"

Yung placed a hand on her shoulder, and she could feel him shaking as he pulled her back into her seat. "Let him go," Yung muttered. Jinora had never seen him look so angry. "He needs space. Even from you, he'll be feeling guilty about - about not telling you." Yung turned a fierce glare onto Lee. "Now, as for _you_. _How dare you?_ "

Lee squirmed in his seat. "I - I didn't know-"

"Yeah," Yung seethed. "You don't know shit. You don't know anything about him, how he's suffered, so next time keep your damn mouth shut! How dare you stand there and use a man's past as a blow against him when you know nothing about him? Kai has always had demons but _how dare you_ throw them back in his face as some power play in your little jealousy game? He was falling apart even before that and-"

Yung shook his head. "Do you how terrifying that is? To watch your kid slip away from you and you keep trying to hold them upright but they just slip through your fingers? That they just start hating themselves more than ever? He stopped eating, he stopped sleeping, he'd just shut himself in his room and come out maybe once a day to do Captain duties or something, and he started losing weight and his eyes were always red but he'd never cry in front of any of us! And he wouldn't talk to me, not even to me and I raised him!" Tears sparked in Yung's eyes. "I raised him since he was nine years old and it was like no matter how much I loved him it wasn't more than how much he hated himself. And I used to sit against his door and just hope that he'd respond if I just kept talking because this had gone on for nearly a month and..."

Yung sat down in his chair, looking like he had aged ten years in only a second. "And then, after another two weeks, it was around midnight, I went to check up on him, and he wasn't there. So we searched the whole ship and we couldn't find him so we went into town and I thought that we'd find him dead in a ditch or under a bridge or something because he had just decided to off himself!" Yung wiped furiously at his eyes. "And finally, we found him in an alleyway and there was blood everywhere, he had gone and gotten himself beat up so I helped him back to the ship and got him patched up and I sat him down and told him he couldn't keep destroying himself like this. And he said it didn't matter and I said it mattered to me, _and that's why_ he started to pull himself out of it, that's why, not because he gave a damn about himself but because _he didn't want to hurt ME!"_ Yung's bottom lip trembled. "So think next time before you open your fucking mouth."

Tears were streaming down Jinora's cheeks, and this time when she got up from the table Yung didn't stop her. Instead, he got up with her, not sparing any of the stunned faces at the table another look as they hurried out the door and after their Captain.


	7. Kai's Vow

**Compass**

* * *

Chapter Seven:  
Kai's Vow

* * *

"There's going to be hell for this," Yung muttered, as he and Jinora hurried down the steps and through the gardens. Kai was nowhere in sight, or at least not near the ship, and there was no way he had already entered inside, even if he had been running. "Dammit, okay he's going to be somewhere he can be alone―"

"The orchard, then," Jinora said, running a hand worriedly through her hair, as she set off in the lead towards the orchard with Yung on her heels. "You don't think he would have gone into town on the ferry do you?"

"Nah he hasn't run off like that in years," Yung sighed. "I just―we'll find him, Jinora. I promise."

And Yung, Jinora had learned, always kept his promises. She nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat, deciding to trust him. "Okay."

* * *

The silence in the dining room was only broken by Pema's sniff, as the woman dabbed at her eyes. She used the tablecloth as a makeshift handkerchief.

Lee shifted uncomfortably in his seat, feeling everyone else's eyes on him. He had heard of Kai's reputation: ruthless, a womanizer, who fought like a demon with a sword. Lee had heard the story of the Quil Massacre from one of the APA officers who had discovered the ship, and was now under Lee's domain. Other stories had built up a picture of the Captain. It had been hard to align that image with the man actually presented to him, who was shorter than he expected, fiercely protective, smart in some ways, and even more startlingly, a little kind...to Rohan at least.

And, apparently, a deeply, deeply troubled soul.

"I didn't know," Lee blurted out, knowing it was a feeble excuse. But, if he had known, not just what had happened but _why,_ he never would have pushed.

"None of us did," said Tenzin heavily. "Jinora has always said his life wasn't easy but..." Tenzin's brow furrowed as he wrapped an arm around Pema's shoulders.

"That poor boy," she whispered miserably. She looked up at Lee and her eyes hardened. "You better apologize to him, for dragging those bad memories up. To him and Yung."

Perhaps it was because she was a parent herself, but she hated thinking of any scenario that would put her in Yung's place in the aftermath. Watching your child slip away from you, helpless to do anything? It was every parent's worst nightmare. And, maybe it had come a bit closer to home than she had thought. In Jinora's letters, she had caught a few phrases of how unhappy Jinora had been, not just in the last few years but ever since she was young, and Pema felt sick at the knowledge that she and Tenzin hadn't even really noticed. Maybe Kai's reaction had been more extreme, but it seemed like Yung was an expert at keeping track of his boy's emotions and mental health, and that was impressive considering how closed off Jinora said Kai could be.

Lee paled at the thought of going down to Kai's ship and crew and having to walk through the halls. Surely his men, if they were all as protective over their Captain as Kai was with them, would be beyond pissed off. Would they beat him up? Then again, maybe he kind of deserved it. Swallowing hard, Lee nodded. "Of course..."

"And to Jinora," Tenzin added. "She's going to be extremely upset with you. And I believe she has a good reason for it. I may not...approve or accept their relationship, but I do understand that it is very important to her."

So now Jinora was also going to be mad at him. Great. Lee's shoulders slumped forwards. After not seeing her for three years, this was the mess he had found himself in. Just great.

"What else should I know?" Lee said, sighing. "I don't wanna touch anymore sensitive topics."

"Kai's past as a whole," Pema said. "If it's all like that...we can hardly blame him. And the old Captain, a man named Zaheer."

"Kai said he killed him," Lee said, raising his eyebrows. He had heard of Zaheer before, further away from the seas Lee and his officers patrolled, as they sailed the north waters and Zaheer was primarily in the south. He was a pretty good business man, even if his deals weren't always ethical, and surely not legal. Decent enough that his name had come up in conversation a few times, anyhow.

"He did," said Tenzin simply. "And it'd be best not to bring it up. It wasn't a particularly happy period, for anyone involved, including Pema and I, and especially Jinora."

"Duly noted," Lee said quickly. He sighed and got up from the table. "I guess I should go find them now?"

"They probably went back to the ship," Pema said. "Although you might want to give them a bit more time to...talk."

"I'll head over anyway, just to see what they want me to do," Lee shrugged, frowning. "If they send me away I guess I'll try again tomorrow."

Tenzin nodded, seemingly seeing no fault in his plan. "As long as you know what you're getting yourself into."

Lee frowned as he walked out of the mansion. He hoped he knew what he was getting himself into too.

* * *

Yung spotted Kai first, curled up on a high branch of a moon-peach tree not yet in bloom. The leaves set shadows over his face, and she could see his green eyes gleaming in the semi-darkness like a cat's. She could just make out the bloodshot quality to them, but he immediately seemed to sober up once they walked under the tree, looking upwards.

"Kai?" she called up uncertainly.

"Go away," he croaked out.

"Like hell," Yung said firmly. "C'mon kid, don't push us out." Jinora wondered just how many times Yung had had this conversation with Kai, how well he knew the ins and outs of it. "You know we're not just going to leave you when you're like this... You haven't had a bad phase in nearly 4 years, Kai. Don't let that good streak end."

"You know it's not a choice," Kai growled bitterly. "Now leave me alone."

"I will climb up there," Jinora said firmly, knowing that Kai was well aware of her fear of heights. It had gotten much better, after getting used to climbing up the crow's nest, but even that was never without someone waiting to catch her, and she doubted Yung, as he was getting older, would be able to do so if she fell. "I will."

She could practically hear Kai mulling over her words. "Kai," her voice grew softer. "Love, please. I don't blame you. I'm sorry about what happened, but..." She looked up hopefully and saw that Kai had shifted so that his back was to her now. It hadn't worked. Or at least, he wasn't ready to have that conversation yet. She looked to Yung desperately. He would know what to do about this, wouldn't he?

"Even if you don't want to talk to us, at least come back to the ship," Yung pleaded. "You're going to scare the gardener, or something."

There was the rustling of leaves, and then Kai dropped down neatly onto his feet. Jinora took a step back in surprise, but Yung didn't move an inch. She supposed he was used to it, of Kai dropping from high places, even if those places were the ship's rope grid or the elevated part of the deck near the steering wheel and not a tree. His eyes were rimmed with red and he stared at the ground, his body rigid and stiff, as if he was trying to hold himself together, not realizing his spine would snap from the stress.

"Kai-" Jinora tried again.

"Don't." Kai's voice cracked and he quickly cleared it. Jinora opened her mouth again, but closed it at Yung's shake of his head.

"Jinora, would you let us walk back alone?" Yung requested. "Kai and I here need to...to talk."

Jinora's brow furrowed in confusion, but she nodded. "Alright." The word tasted bitter in her mouth. She hated the idea of leaving Kai when he was so upset, but Yung would know best. "I'll go back to the house to see what...what the situation is." Biting down on her lip, Jinora turned and headed back up from the orchard and set off towards her house.

Yung studied Kai thoughtfully. "I know you feel guilty about not telling her, but you don't have to feel that way. You know she doesn't see it like that, don't you?" It didn't seem like Kai was taking in anything, so Yung fought to get him to look him in the face. "Kid, would you please just look at me?"

Finally, Kai's eyes flickered up to Yung's face, and then widened. "You've been crying," he observed softly.

"I...the Quil incident wasn't only hard on you, you know...You weren't the only one in pain," Yung said, a lump rising in his throat. If there was one thing Kai responded openly about, it was other people's pain. He always put others ahead of himself; it was something that Yung both admired yet found infuriating. "Watching you slip away, and turn in on yourself was-" Yung swallowed thickly. "So I told them, to make sure that Sono knew exactly what―"

Kai's face went blank. "You told him?" his voice turned deadly quiet. "You told them? About―" Kai turned away and started pacing, blinking rapidly. "Why the hell would you do that?" he demanded. "That wasn't your story to tell! Now they're going to - _DAMMIT YUNG! You know I don't want their pity you_ know _that_ ―"

"It is my story, it is our story, I was there," Yung said patiently, not flinching under Kai's fierce glare. "I _am_ here. I've been right here, for 14 years, for every step back, and for every step forward, and I am not going anywhere. No matter what you do, or say, I am staying by your side. Let me in, Kai, please."

Kai's anger evaporated. "I don't want their pity," he said hoarsely. "I―" he raised his shaking hands, as though to run them anxiously through his hair but paused midway, not having the strength to follow through. "I'm fine. I have to be fine. I just―I just want to be _okay_ but I don't even know what okay feels like sometimes and..."

"Everyone feels like that sometimes, kid," Yung said, smiling sadly. "And you are going to be okay. Maybe you just need to redefine what okay is, mm? Like, you get up in the morning, and you eat, and you help the crew. And you smile. Maybe that's all okay needs to be, and one day maybe it'll feel like it's enough. And I'm not saying you have to be okay, it's okay not to be, but that's the end game goal isn't it? And I'm going to help you get there, no matter how long it takes."

Kai's eyes were glistening with unshed tears. "Thank you." His voice was barely audible. "Yung, I―I'm sor―"

"You don't need to say it. You'll always have my forgiveness kid," Yung's smile softened. "Part of being a parent."

Kai nearly smiled. "I should have told her. I should have deflected the conversation or, done something different or..." He looked at Yung miserably. "Do you think she'll forgive me too, for ruining things?"

"You haven't ruined anything," Yung said gently. "And, even though there's nothing to forgive, she already has. She loves you. She went to go after you immediately after you left, but I knew you needed a bit of time. If you're worried about Sono, trust me, you have nothing to worry about. Or, at least, let me do all the worrying." Yung let out a small sigh. "Do you want to go back to the ship now?"

"Do I have to?" Kai asked, looking at the ground, and for a moment Yung saw 10 or 11 year old Kai shining through, asking to put off chores or some other responsibility. Some things would never change, and Yung was glad. No matter how old Kai got, he'd always be his kid.

"I think it'd be for the best," Yung replied. "Then you can get some real privacy in your room, to let your walls down since you still have a few up right now ―which I don't fault you for," he quickly clarified.

Kai seemed to think this over. "Fine," he said finally. "But please don't let anyone ask more questions, and when Gyatso comes back, tell her I think I'm ready to talk with her, if I can't say it myself."

"I think that's a good idea." Yung clapped him on the shoulder, and was slightly surprised when Kai turned abruptly and pulled him into a tight hug. Yung smiled softly as he returned it, his eyes growing wet when he remembered the first hug he and Kai had ever shared, and the boy had buried his face in Yung's shoulder after getting over the initial shock. "I love you, you know that right?" Yung mumbled, not expecting Kai to say anything back. Even after all these years, Kai was still very guarded when it came to the 'L' word.

But the look in Kai's eyes told him that the Captain felt it right back, even if he couldn't quite say it yet. It didn't need to be said, really, if Yung was being honest. "Thank you," Kai repeated, his voice thick with tears.

"Anytime kiddo."

* * *

Jinora was crying by the time she reached the mansion. She hurriedly wiped at her eyes as she entered the dining hall to find only her parents and younger siblings, sans Rohan, but no Lee. "Where's Lee?" she asked curiously, clearing her throat.

"He went down to the ship to go apologize," Tenzin explained.

Jinora opened her mouth to speak but before she could, her mother rushed over to her and smoothed down her hair with soft, soothing fingers. "Oh honey, I am so so sorry, we had no idea―"

"I didn't either," Jinora choked out, burying her face in her mother's shoulder. She wrapped her arms tightly around her mother's waist. "God, I just want him to be happy, but it seems like every time he actually is it feels like something comes and knocks him back down again―" She pulled away and wiped at her eyes, suddenly realizing what she had just said, not only in front of her parents, but in front of Ikki and Meelo, who hardly knew absolutely anything about Kai. "Oh God don't tell him I told you that I haven't even told him that he's just so private even with the rest of the crew and..." She sniffled. "It's hard loving someone who doesn't love themselves."

Pema planted a soft kiss on Jinora's temple. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry. You should talk to him about this, shouldn't you? All of what's―what's happened today?"

"He wasn't ready earlier," Jinora mumbled, stubbornly wiping at her eyes. "Not that I can blame him. But I will. We're pretty good at not shutting each other, now. We've gotten better at it." She smiled slightly, looking to Ikki and Meelo who seemed not quite sure what to do. "You know," she said with a shaky little laugh, "when we first met, we hated each other. I can't understand why now. I know this hasn't been the best introduction to what a wonderful man is, but just give it a little time? For your big sister?"

Ikki slowly nodded. "We'll try." Meelo jerked his head in a slight nod, uncharacteristically silent and serious.

Jinora's smile grew. "Thank you." She cleared her throat and wiped away the last traces of tears. "Now, I'd like to send a letter to Miki, ShenShen and Pfannee. I think it'd be best if we rescheduled." As much as she wanted to see her friends, she knew quite frankly that Kai, and herself, were in no position to handle more people in what had already turned into a stressful situation. "And, father," Tenzin looked up at her curiously, "I want you to do a favour for me. As Governor, it'd be out of your jurisdiction, but surely you could pull some strings?"

"For what, exactly?" Tenzin said cautiously.

"Could you find Kai's birth records?"

Tenzin stared at her. "What?"

"His birth records. We don't think he was born at a hospital, and his mother wouldn't have had any records since she was a slave, so...If any place would have them, it would be wherever the files from the orphanage Geishou in Omashu ended up. The orphanage shut down a few years ago." The words _for child abuse_ got stuck in her throat, but Jinora pushed on anyway. "Could you please at least give it a shot? It'd mean so much to him, to both of us."

"I'll do my best," Tenzin said, his brow furrowing. "I can't promise I'll find anything."

"Thank you." Jinora pulled her father into a hug. "Thank you," she repeated, more gently this time. Tenzin stroked the back of her head, smoothing down her hair. Jinora sighed heavily, before pulling away this time too. "I should go see how things are going. I'm not sure if I'll come back up for the day, it's probably not going to be an easy night, but...We'll be back tomorrow, definitely."

"Take as much time as you need," Pema said gently.

Jinora nearly smiled, and wanted to say _Thank you_ again, but couldn't quite manage it. She knew her parents understood though, as Pema gave her a small smile and laid a hand upon her husband's arm, before Jinora turned around and left her family's mansion. She had to go find her boyfriend.

* * *

As it turned out, Lee reached the _Waterbender_ well before Kai did. It was a strange sensation, walking about a pirate ship, knowing he was entering his enemy's most sacred territories. Most pirates, no matter how ruthless they were, were at least a little fond or sentimental for their ship, and often held much less care for their men. As Lee stepped onto the deck, all the various members pausing in their work. One man was polishing the steering wheel, at least six stopped swabbing the vast deck, one man was leaning against the railing with a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth, another overlooking what seemed to be maps, and plenty were just talking or lounging around. And suddenly, all their eyes were on him, staring, some narrowed in dislike. Lee swallowed nervously.

He opened his mouth to speak, but the words died in his throat as a bored looking man stared at him, and then said finally, "You look guilty about something. What did you do?"

"Did you take a shot at Kai?" demanded a skinny man with the cigarette and shaggy hair. The former slave, Lee remembered; his name started with an 'S' or something. "Why I oughta―"

A man with pale skin and a large nose pushed the former slave back into his seat. "Take it easy Skoochy," he reprimanded calmly. "I won't have you reopening your wounds, I don't want to have to patch them up again. And I don't want to have to use medical supplies on Mr. Sono either."

Part of Lee wanted to say thank you, but he couldn't quite manage it. This was too weird. "Is Jinora here? Or your―your Captain?"

"He's not here," the man with glasses and maps spoke up. "Should he be? Half of us are out in town picking up some extra work, which is going according to schedule and his orders. Why are you here?"

"I needed to talk to them about something," Lee tried to sound neutral.

"Yung's not back yet either," a man with a pegleg, Lefty, Lee remembered, muttered to another large bald man. "Odd..." he gave Lee a quizzical look. C'mon Sono, you can't lie to us. We're pirates, remember?"

Lee gulped; he was _so dead_.

"We eat weasels like you for breakfast," the bored looking man said, in a complete monotone. Lee looked at him with wide eyes as the rest of the crew started muttering to each other. God, what had he gotten himself into?

"I―I am not lying!" Lee stammered. "I just―" His eyes widened in surprise when the crew immediately quieted, and he heard footsteps on the plank and turned around to see why: Kai had come back, his eyes almost looking a little puffy, with Yung walking behind him wearing a calm expression that had a storm simmering underneath, threatening everything not to ask a single question.

Kai raised an eyebrow once he saw Lee. "Sono, what are you doing here?" he said coldly, and then shot a glare at his men. Most of them hastily turned back to their chores or conversations, except for Skoochy and Longshot, the latter still having a tight grip on the former slave's arm.

"I came to apologize―is Jinora not with you?"

"No," Kai said slowly, and he looked to Longshot. "Has she not come back yet?" A trace of worry came into his voice.

"She must still be back up at the house," Yung said swiftly. "Don't wear yourself out Cap." He threw a glare at Lee, since it was the pirate hunter's fault Kai was in such a bad state already. Lee sighed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Look, I just wanted to apologize, I was out of line―"

Kai barely spared Lee a glance. "I don't want your apology Sono, or your pity."

"But―"

"Get off my ship. You reopened a wound I had to fight tooth and nail to close." Just saying the truth out loud made another lump form in Kai's throat. He could feel the darkness clawing at him, clouding his brain. Why couldn't it just go away? Why couldn't he just get his emotions under control for once? Usually it wasn't this hard, even if it was never, ever going to be easy. "You've done enough damage."

"I just want to―" Lee huffed in frustration as Kai glared at him. "You really don't want to make this easy for me do you?"

"Get off my ship or I'll show you how much of a pirate I really am."

"Is that a threat?" Lee demanded, glowering at Kai.

"You're smart enough to figure it out," Kai snapped.

"Now wait just a second―"

"He said leave," Skoochy hissed, his fingers curling into fist's as he wrestled himself out of Longshot's hold. He held up his fist but Kai whirled around and caught it and Kai glared fiercely at Skoochy, who flinched slightly.

"No attacking," he hissed. He slowly let go of Skoochy's fist. "Just because I break down for a few minutes does not mean you, any of you, can undermine my orders. Obeying my Captainship is what has kept us alive for the past six years. Since you've had a rough day, I'm not going to put you through the ringer. But next time I tell you to do something, you do it, and I don't care about why you're thinking about doing anything otherwise. Have I made myself clear?"

"Cap―"

" _Have I made myself clear_?"

Skoochy sighed, staring at his shoes. "Yes Captain."

"Now go cool yourself off," Kai said sternly. "And you," he whirled around and jabbed a finger at Lee, "get off my ship, now."

"The apology is for your first mate and Jinora, too," Lee added. "And you haven't even given me a chance to apologize to you―"

Kai sighed. "Fine, you want my forgiveness? That man, the officer who was whipping Skoochy? Guhn, whatever his name is; fire him. Kick him to the curb, and get him off your forces."

Lee stared at him for a moment, and then he sighed. "Fine," he said reluctantly. "He'll be gone as soon as I can find a replacement."

"Good," Kai crossed his arms over his chest. "Now?"

"I know, I'm going," Lee grumbled. "Will you tell Jinora I tried?"

"I might think to mention it if you leave," Kai replied coldly.

Lee muttered something under his breath, but he turned around and walked off the plank. Kai watched his retreating back until the Captain spotted Jinora coming down the opposite path from the gardens, looking like she was blinking back tears. Kai swallowed hard as she reached him, her eyes glistening with tears.

He wanted to reach out for her, but found he couldn't. How could he, when his hands were stained with blood, and she was so clean, so pure, so perfect? His eyes met hers and something in him broke, if there was anything that was still whole to begin with. "We need to talk," he murmured, and she nodded. Conscious of the crew's inconspicuous attempts not to stare, Kai led the way below deck and they made a beeline for their room.

Kai held the door open for her and closed it once they were both inside, sighing heavily as he looked at her and her sad eyes. "So," he said softly.

"So," she echoed, her throat tightening, and then it loosened and it felt like everything came rushing out at once. "I am so sorry, Lee shouldn't have pushed you and I should have―" Deflected the conversation? Chose different words? What could she have done?

"I should have told you," Kai's voice broke. "I shouldn't have kept it from you, I just didn't want to bring it back and have to deal with it again but now I've been forced to and I know that's no excuse but―"

"Your past is yours," Jinora reached for his hand, his fingers trembling as she slid hers through them. "Yours, and it should always be your choice of when and how you share it. You tell me things in your own time, when you're ready, and I'm happy to wait and learn and help you in any way that I can." She tugged him forwards and gave him a tight hug, feeling his body tremble, and his arms pinned to his sides. Her brow furrowed. "Why won't you―?"

"My hands aren't clean," he said hoarsely. "They're bloody, I'm bloody and I just...I don't want to ruin you. I don't want to give you all my pain because I'm cracking under the weight and I can't, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did that to you too."

"You could never ruin me," Jinora squeezed him tightly and buried her face in his chest, her ears seeking out his heartbeat. Slowly, Kai wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into him. "You make me better, if anything. And your pain _is_ mine, out of choice. We're partners, and that is what we share, so that we can build a future together. I―I may not agree, with what you did, but I understand, and if you want forgiveness for anything you've done, I'll give that to you. I love you, Kai, and that doesn't just mean when it's easy to love you, but also when it's very hard." She pulled away slightly and cupped his face in her hands, gently stroking her fingers over his cheeks, feeling tears trail down her own. "Please believe that." Jinora pressed her lips softly to his, and Kai held her tighter, his hand resting on the curve of her hip, the other curling around her jaw, before he pulled away, resting his forehead against hers.

"I ran away in Paradise because I messed up," he whispered. "I had been carrying some supplies and it ended up going overboard, and I thought that was it, that Zaheer would have my head and that even Yung would call it quits so I just...I just ran." He wanted to seek comfort in her warmth, but forced himself to keep looking her in the eye. "And I ran right into the gang I had stolen from in Omashu, the Triple Threat Triads, and they were going to teach me a lesson when Yung and Imaru and Lefty and Otaku and Ryu and Daw and Longshot all found me, a―and they kept me safe... they never even told Zaheer that had run off, said it'd stay our secret. And that was the first time I ever really felt like I belonged somewhere."

Tears spilled over and onto his cheeks, and Jinora gently wiped them away. She waited patiently for him to speak, knowing he was struggling with exactly how to say what he was feeling. "And when I look at you," he said quietly, his voice thick with tears, "I remember that feeling. But when I saw you at your home, with your family and―and with Sono and how much easier it would have been I just―"

Jinora cut him off with a long, soft kiss, her mouth moving tenderly against his. When she pulled away she nuzzled into his shoulder, her forehead pressing into the crook of his neck. "I am here because there is no where else I'd rather be, and no one ― _no one else_ I would rather be with. I cared for Lee, and I thought I loved him, but I didn't. Do you wanna know how I know?" Jinora's lips curved upwards against his neck. "Because he didn't make me cry, or want to pull my ear out, or drive me crazy, and even in spite of all that, he didn't make me want to stay. He didn't challenge me to be a better person. And he didn't, doesn't, and neither does my family, understand what I was going through. That my unhappiness started long before LingShi came around..." Jinora felt tears prick in her eyes.

"I had people who noticed how I was losing myself and they helped to pull me out of it," he said sadly, running a hand through her hair as she curled into him. "You had to do it all by yourself. You're a lot stronger than I am, you know."

"Not true," Kai said with a faint laugh. "You had the strength to realize what you wanted, and to choose it...I'm glad it's me."

"Me too," Jinora murmured. Her free hand found his, and she laced their fingers together.

Kai squeezed her hand, and more than ever, felt the absence of a ring on her finger. He'd find a way to fix that, he vowed. He was what she wanted, and he'd give himself to her in every way possible. Lefty must have heard of some kind of way for pirates to get married. Maybe an old tradition, or some backwater priest who didn't mind marrying criminals?

For now, he pushed that out of his mind. Nothing in this moment mattered except for the woman in his arms, and the way she made the darkness fade. "I love you," he whispered into her hair.

He could hear the smile in her voice as she said, "I love you too."


	8. Brothers

**Compass**

* * *

Chapter Eight:  
Brothers

* * *

Kai spoke after a long stretch of silence and warmth, Jinora's arms still tightly wrapped around his torso. "Sono apologized," he said softly, her breath warm on his neck as she let out a long exhale. She tightened her grip around her, his fingers spreading across the space in between his shoulder blades, gently pressing down. Through the thin cotton of his shirt, she could feel the slightly risen marred flesh, the two scars from Zaheer nearly perfectly aligned, although her fingers lingered on the one from their more recent fight. Kai had many more scars, but that was the one she knew best. Knew how close she had come to losing him. Breathing deeply, she wondered how many times she had almost lost him, before she had any idea how precious he really was.

"To you," Kai added. "And Yung and me."

Jinora stayed silent for a moment, pulling away to look him in the eye. "And did you forgive him?"

He gave her a tender, loving look. "I understand why he did it. If our places had been switched, I would have confronted whoever it was privately though." He ran his fingers through her hair, brushing it away from her neck, before his fingers rested on the smooth curve of it, his thumb grazing the dip of her collarbone. Jinora saw him wrestling with himself. "If I thought someone was going to hurt you..."

"You could never hurt me Kai," she said softly. "You know that, don't you? You're not your father, or LingShi."

"You know abuse is a cycle, most times," Kai's voice cracked slightly. "I've killed people, Quil's men, I just snapped. How do I know I'm not going to snap again and this time it'll be you―"

She shushed him, kissing him softly. "I know," she murmured, in between kisses, coaxing him to slowly reciprocate as his worries ebbed away. "I know, like the same way I know I love you, and that I always will. Your hands," she wound her fingers through his. "Keep me safe. They're the same hands that hold me. That make love to me. Face it, Captain. You're stuck with me."

Kai gave her a shaky little smile. "Thank God for that." He took one hand cupped her face, kissing her firmly. "And thank you, Gyatso."

"Of course, Captain...I was thinking we could take a break from my family and everything for the rest of the day," Jinora suggested, smiling as she saw the light return to his eyes. "I just have to write a few letters first, but while I do that you could grab lunch and we could eat in here?"

"Sounds good," Kai agreed, pulling her back to him when she went to step away, giving her another quick kiss. She gave him a small, sweet smile in return. "Who are you writing the letter to?"

"My secondary school friends," Jinora explained, combing her fingers through his hair when his brow furrowed. "I thought it best if we tell them not to come tomorrow, and reschedule."

Kai frowned. "Gyatso, you don't have to―"

"I'm doing it for myself as well," she clarified, smiling at him. "It'll be better for both of us. Besides, now later on I could visit them for a whole weekend instead of just a day. Maybe at a pub or something, we wouldn't even have to come to the Island."

"If you're sure..." Kai said slowly.

"I am," she said gently, yet firmly, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze.

"Okay," Kai smiled a little. "I'll go see if Daw needs any help with lunch, and then maybe we can have Momo or Pabu run into town to drop off your letters? I think Otaku might have been going in anyway, to send a letter to his girl." Otaku had been in a long distance relationship with a woman named Jaya from Dishow for some time now, and the navigator sent letters as much as he could.

Jinora pressed a kiss to his jaw before she went to the desk tucked away in the corner and pulled out some ink and stationary paper, while Kai headed down to the small kitchen that was off the dining hall. Daw, as it turned out, did not need any help with lunch, as Imaru, Lefty, Momo, and a stringy man named Tyyo who more than enough energy to spare, were already on lunch duty for the day.

Kai looked at the tray of cookies Tyyo was pulling out of the oven. "Mm, they look tasty." Even if he was 23 years old, and the Captain, well, a little cookie stealing never hurt anyone, did it?

Tyyo went to grab one when Daw swatted his hand away. "They're for _after_ lunch," the cook said sternly. "You'll just have to wait."

Kai waited a moment before looking to Tyyo expectantly, as Daw bustled away to look after the stew boiling on the stove, and the ex-thief held up two cookies in his other hand. Tyyo tossed him one and Kai grinned as he deftly caught it, breaking off half for himself and saving the other half for Jinora. "Thanks Tyyo. You're the man." (Daw's cookies were her favourite.)

Tyyo smiled crookedly, showing off a chipped tooth in the corner of his smile, before taking a triumphant bite of his cookie. "Anytime Cap."

Daw threw them a disapproving look, although it was slightly ruined by the amusement in his eyes. How much his crew of grown men could act like children sometimes was beyond him. "I _told_ you―"

Kai laughed as Tyyo promptly shoved the entire cookie in his mouth out of panic, looking like a scolded child, before walking out of the kitchen and calling, "Sorry, but you can't lecture me Daw. Captain's perks. Feel free to lecture Tyyo though."

"I'm not getting you a cookie next time!" Tyyo called after him.

Kai just laughed again. For all his thievery skills, Tyyo was beyond terrible at holding grudges. By the time the Captain arrived back, Jinora was finishing up her second letter, and gratefully took the half of the cookie he offered her. "I'm nearly done," she said, giving him a small smile. "Then I suppose we can just stay on the ship for the rest of the afternoon?"

"I'll have to pop out for a sec," Kai said. "I wanna go talk to Skoochy. I was kinda harsh on him earlier...I hate reprimanding him, any of them." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, and Jinora grabbed it when he lowered it back down again, winding her fingers through his.

Jinora placed her free hand on his shoulder. "I know you wanna be their friend instead of their Captain, but you have to just be the latter sometimes."

Kai met her warm eyes and felt some of his worry ease away. "I just never want him to feel like he's not free to do something, y'know?" he said, feeling that his explanation was terrible, but somehow he knew that Jinora understood, as Jinora's hand lifted to cup his face, he smiled appreciatively and leaned into her touch. "I'll go talk to him now. Might as well deal with everything and get it over with."

"You're dealing with everything really well," Jinora said, and then studied him. She knew Kai had been getting better with his emotions, but she also knew how good he was at repressing them so he would appear to be fine. "Are you sure you're not just bottling them up?"

"Would I be me if I wasn't, at least a little?" Kai smiled humourlessly. Jinora frowned at him. "Okay, okay, I'll be serious. Nah, I actually think I'm okay? Or I will be. I have you, after all." He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "And Yung, and Skoochy, and everyone else. It could be worse." His eyes grew pained. "I could be alone."

 _I've always liked stars. Some nights as a kid if it was a clear night I'd stare up at them and it just made me think somehow, maybe I wouldn't always have to be alone._

And Kai, Jinora thought sadly, knew all about being alone. "I suppose that's true," she gave him a soft kiss, gently combing her fingers through his hair. When she pulled away, she gave him a slight smile. "So, are you ready to talk to Skoochy?"

"Hmm mm," Kai made a low noise of confirmation in the back of his throat. "We've always had an understanding. I don't think this'll be any different. I hope not, anyway." He stood up slightly, and then bent down and kissed Jinora on the forehead before fully rising. "I'll be back before you know it, Love."

* * *

Kai found Skoochy by the steering wheel having a smoke. The rest of the deck was thankfully empty, everyone else mostly having headed down to help out with distributing the food for lunch, or more likely trying to steal some cookies. "Skooch?" Kai's voice was hesitant as he slowed to a stop a few steps away from his crew mate.

Skoochy looked at him, frowned, and then quickly looked away, taking a puff of his cigarette. "Hey Cap," he said sullenly.

"Are you pissed at me?" Kai asked, his brow furrowing. "I don't blame you if you are."

Skoochy sighed, and turned to face him, lowering the cigarette pinched between his fingers. "Look, Cap, I shouldn't have gone against you. Or at least not in front of everyone. But you gotta understand, we look out for each other, don't we? All of us, but especially me and you, yeah?"

Kai nearly smiled as Skoochy offered Kai his cigarette. "Me and you," he agreed, taking a puff. "I'm sorry I was so harsh. I wasn't in the best place―which is no excuse, but I'm better right now. Or I'm getting better..." he handed Skoochy back the cigar. "You know you can't stop people from saying what they want about me, right? I'm fine with it, really."

"You're _used_ to it," Skoochy corrected him. "But you shouldn't be and I hate that you are. People talk about you and treat you like shit and I can't stand it, Cap. How'd you feel if people did that to Yung? You'd wanna deck 'em too."

"But I'm not Yung―" The very idea was ridiculous. Him, being what Yung was to him, to someone else? Sure he may have liberated Skoochy's ship, or given a past stowaway on their ship named Kida a way off the streets, but he wasn't... He could stand there for days with perfect articulation to express just how much Yung meant to him, how much Yung's had done for him, what he continued to do, and how undeserving Kai was of all it and he'd still only be scratching the surface.

Skoochy chuckled at the shocked look on Kai's face. "Okay, you may not have raised me, or known me nearly as long but...You gave me my life, Kai. My freedom, something I had never ever had. You gave me everything that I consider worthwhile. You treat me like a person, not like an object. And I know you think that's something any man would do, but it's not, and we both know that. I haven't seen my family since I was 14 years old. You gave me another one, all of you."

Kai felt a lump rise in his throat as tears welled in Skoochy's eyes. "You're my little brother Cap," he placed a hand on Kai's shoulder. "Of course I'm gonna get in fights for you. That's what brothers _do_."

Kai smiled widely. "I'm not gonna be able to stop you, am I Skooch?"

"Not a chance," Skoochy grinned.

Kai laughed slightly, maybe a little tearfully too. "Just make sure I'm there to get you out of them, from now on?" he requested.

This time Skoochy laughed. "I'll do my best."

Kai's smile softened, and he pulled Skoochy into a hug. Skoochy smiled as he rested his head on Kai's shoulder, the men wrapping their arms fully around each other. "Funny how I'm taller than my big brother though," Kai quipped after a long moment, and Skoochy shoved Kai away with a snort.

"Shut up!" Skoochy laughed, and then once it died down, he looked at Kai fondly. "So, we're good Cap?"

"Yeah," Kai nodded with a grin. "We're good."

* * *

The rest of the day passed in relative bliss. Jinora's letters were promptly delivered and the crew went about their chores. Those who had gone into town to pick up work returned with some hefty sums of money. Luckily, the crew members who had been here for a bit of the Lee incident had chosen to keep their mouths shut, at least in front of Kai, but he knew the news would make its way throughout the crew by the end of the day. That was one of the few downsides of living in such close quarters with so many people who knew each other so well: you could hardly ever keep secrets.

In fact, compared to the rather stressful morning, Kai seemed to have more or less recovered, even from sharing why the massacre had happened. There were still moments she'd catch him with a thoughtful frown, or a kind of darkness clouding his eyes, but it always faded as soon as she took his hand. She had hardly ever seen him in a better place after being in such a bad one, and the last thing she wanted to do was shatter it and send him spiralling downwards.

But he needed to know what she had asked of her father.

The crew as a whole had opted to retire on the earlier side, shortly after dinner, and she and Kai walked back to their room together. Kai gave her hand a squeeze as they walked inside, his brow furrowing as . "You alright? You're kinda quiet."

"I'm fine," Jinora flashed him a quick, slightly strained smile, which faded as he gave her a knowing look. "I just―don't get upset okay? But earlier, when I went up to the house, I...I asked my father if he could look into finding your birth certificate and records, and he said he would try."

Kai's face went blank for a moment. "Oh." His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, and the crease in his brow became more pronounced. He let out a soft little exhale. "Well...He'll have to go to Geishou to find it. I'm not even sure if it exists? It was really nice of you to ask, and for him to give it a shot, but..." His other hand was shaking as he reached up to run it through his hair. "The orphanage was bad, Jin." His voice grew quiet. "Really bad."

Jinora took his trembling hand and laced her fingers through his. "You're okay," she said softly. She knew that for Kai to admit something truly was _really bad_ then it fact it was probably unfit conditions for anyone let alone a child, and beyond horrible. "I'm sorry."

As someone from a privileged opinion, Jinora felt frustrated sometimes. Some people had so much money and they never seemed to do anything good with it, and she herself had been part of that category. Too blind to see the gap between the rich and poor become a chasm that was all too easily fixed, with a little charity. At least so that so many people wouldn't be trapped in poverty, and wouldn't be forced to become criminals, pirates, to escape it. Not everyone was as lucky as her crew, after all.

"Sometimes I think I wouldn't be so messed up if I hadn't been stuck there," Kai mumbled, gripping her hand so tightly it hurt, but Jinora just let him hold onto it like an anchor. He needed something to ground him so he couldn't start spiralling downwards again. "But it kept me alive for a few years, so..." he took a deep, shaky breath.

Jinora wondered sometimes what Kai's life would have been like if his father had been a good man. He would have grown up with his sister, gone to school, and would have gotten good grades― _very_ good grades, if he applied himself properly. He could have had younger siblings too, and been the best big brother ever, just like he was already with Rohan. He would have gotten in fights more than anyone else, defending younger kids and all the underdogs, because she knew that was a part of him that was so innately Kai, his upbringing didn't matter. He'd always be a hero who didn't think he was one. But maybe, in that world, he would have been a little more inclined to believe it. And his mother would have loved him, God, she would have loved her baby boy so much, so much that her love would have grown and been appreciated, instead of a final, tragic act that haunted her son.

As for how she and Kai would have met...Maybe he'd save her from some street thugs. Or even run into each other like regular people did in the marketplace? She wondered if they would have gotten off to a better start. Her parents still wouldn't have been quite as pleased, her falling in love with someone but a lower class, but the transition would have been easier. But, they would have still fallen in love. She knew it was a fact. They'd have run off together, maybe eloped? High society life still would have been suffocating. Kai would still be her best friend, her freedom, her lover.

How dare anyone have ever treated him as anything other than beautiful and worthwhile? How dare anyone have ground him into the dirt and made him believe he was worthless?

"I love you," she whispered, and it didn't feel like enough.

Kai's mouth was suddenly on hers, soft yet insistent. Jinora's hand left his as she wound her arms around his neck and his went to her waist. Kai kissed her more firmly, but pulled away when she went to deepen it. "Why?" His voice was barely audible as his eyes flickered up to meet hers, and she saw them glistening with tears.

One of Jinora's hands moved up to cup his cheek, and wiped away a tear trickling down its curve. "Your kindness," she answered, not meeting a beat. "Your bravery. Your resilience, and your strength. And your weakness, you're not perfect, but you're as close as a man can get. You try. You try so damn hard and I am both proud and in awe of it, after all you've been through. You inspire me, you make me a better person. More caring, more compassionate. I learned those things through your example, Kai. I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone. And God knows it hasn't been easy, God knows it won't always be, but as long as I have you...how bad can it ever truly be?" She smiled tearfully at him.

Kai's hands cupped her face, and he planted a kiss on her forehead. "Thank you. I love you. I love you so much. I'm sorry―"

Jinora cut him off with a kiss, shushing him and murmuring, "You have nothing to apologize for," and then another quiet, "I love you," before her lips found his again. It became a kind of mantra, as their lips met over and over again, their hands clutching at each other, grabbing whatever skin and fabric their fervent fingers could find, shedding clothes and insecurities as they stumbled backwards towards the bed in the corner. Their bodies melded together in a way that they were more than familiar with, yet never tired of the perfection.

He loved her. She loved him.

It was all they needed, really, and it gave them the strength to face the next day, head on.

That being said, there were going to be a few challenges. Nothing, it seemed, could ever be that easy for them. When Jinora woke up in the morning, she could tell it was still early judging from the fact Kai was still lying beside her, and from the tiny round window in the wall, the sky was still a pinky orange. Smiling softly, Jinora carefully shifted, not wanting to disturb her Captain, and enjoying the way his arm was draped across her bare waist, their clothes scattered across the floor.

Kai had always been a light sleeper though, and he blinked sleepily at her. "Hmm?" Jinora ran her hand lazily through his hair and he closed his eyes again, a small smile gracing his lips. Her fingers went down along his back, following the trails of scars and lingering in the indent in his spine. Kai used the arm wrapped around her waist to pull her closer, and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. "G'morning, love."

Jinora smiled. "Morning, sleepyhead." Kai let out a soft hum, and Jinora just smiled and watched his rather unsuccessful attempts to wake himself up. "Just get some more sleep, Captain," she said lightly, her voice soft and quiet. "You deserve it."

"What about you?" he mumbled groggily.

Jinora's amused smile softened. Kai was, like always, concerned about other people more than himself. "I'll be okay..." her smile faltered, and she figured there was no beating around the bush. "I decided I want to talk to Lee today. Are you going to be okay with that?"

Some of Kai's sleepiness faded. "You don't need my permission Gyatso." Jinora rolled her eyes and threw him a dry stare; he hadn't answered her question. "I don't really like the sound of it, but that's my issue, not yours. Besides, yesterday, and last night were good reminders that you've chosen me. And you're stubborn as hell and stand by your choices through thick and thin, so, I'll be okay. Really, I will."

Jinora gave him a chaste kiss. "I'm glad to hear it. Now," she tucked her head under his chin, "stroke my hair."

Kai snorted. "So demanding," he murmured fondly, but did as she asked. Jinora closed her eyes and hummed contentedly. If only they could spend every morning like this, but then maybe the rarity of them made her appreciate mornings like this even more. In any case, there was no place she'd rather be. And now, she thought, Kai was truly starting to believe it.

* * *

It was for the reason of Jinora wanting to speak one-on-one with Lee, that the solution found was that Kai would spend the day on the Island with her family. Ikki had elected to visit friends in town in the morning, but would join them in the afternoon, and if everything went well, Jinora's conversation with Lee would be finished neatly. Which was great and all, but Meelo wasn't exactly sure he was looking forward to it for one simple reason: Meelo wasn't really sure what to make of Kai. He had been hearing laments for months from his father about his sister's new pirate boyfriend, the famous Captain of the _Waterbender_. A quick introduction had been all he'd seen of the man, and then a bit of conversation filtered through that hadn't amounted to much of anything, and then, well...Even he had enough tact to know not to mention what had happened between Kai and Lee the day before, even the weight of it was pressing on Meelo's mind.

He wished Ikki wasn't coming with them though, since he saw more than enough of her and her giggly girlfriends at school. Girls were gross, except for Tuyen Lillian, who was perfect and beautiful and the sole exception. And too old for him apparently, but Meelo didn't care. Two years was barely nothing!

If his sister could end up with a pirate, then anything was possible.

Meelo went over the short list of information he knew about Kai: he had become Captain young, had a reputation that apparently wasn't true, Rohan idolized him and he had a very hard life. None of them seemed liked very appealing conversation starters, and Tenzin seemed just as awkward as Meelo felt. Thank God Pema and Rohan were there. They kept the conversation at safe topics, like Pema's plan for the summer ("We thought we might visit my folks in ZaFou,") or Ikki's coming of age ball in the fall ("It'll be quite the event, every young lady has one, it tells all the upper class families she's eligible for marriage for one thing,").

Kai was making a mental note to ask Jinora about hers, as he couldn't seem to remember her ever mentioning her coming-of-age ball, when Meelo loudly cleared his throat. Kai looked at him curiously as Pema and Ikki started talking about dress colours and invitation designs.

"So, uh," Meelo cleared his throat again. "What do you know about girls? Like, winning them over and stuff?"

Kai rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, I'm not really the best person to be asking, Meelo." Especially since Jinora's entire family and her father were _right there_ , and everyone but Rohan must have heard about his reputation with women that, he was now ashamed to admit, wasn't entirely untruthful.

"But you gotta know something," Meelo said, and the Captain saw a flicker of Jinora's stubbornness in her little brother. "You won over my sister, after all."

"Okay well," Kai ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "First of all, I guess, don't say winning, or won, when it comes to girls. They're not prizes."

"I didn't say―" Meelo stammered.

"Hey, kiddo, you asked for my advice, right? You gonna listen or not?" Frowning, Meelo quieted. "Shared interests are important, but they're not everything. Just pay attention to what she likes and take an interest. But don't lie and build yourself up. But if you see her reading or something, maybe check the book out? It'd be a good conversation starter too. And you have to be willing to compromise. And don't be an as―a jerk," Kai caught himself quickly, glancing at Rohan. God, had this been how the crew felt when he had first joined and had to watch their language, or Yung would bite their head off? (Not that it had done much. Growing up around gangs, Kai had been well acquainted with the worst of swear words.)

Kai hastily continued. "You gotta be willing to see the ugly sides of stuff too, not just the good sides. It's part of the reason your sister and I work. In the beginning, we were very, _very_ focussed on each other's bad sides, and then we got to see the good sides, so now we know how to deal with both. But it took work. And any relationship that you want for the long haul is gonna be work. Like a lot of it. But if you're in with the right person, it's worth it." He looked at Meelo, realizing just how much he had been talking. "Did that go over your head? That probably went right over your head."

"I'm not that stupid," Meelo said indignantly.

"I never said you were stupid," Kai said, relaxing a little when Rohan laughed. "I just know I didn't take a lot of advice to heart when I was your age. But, then again I was Captain, so I guess I've always been on the more mature side of things...? Yung would disagree with that in a heartbeat though." He looked at Rohan and smiled. "What about you buddy? Any girls catching your eye?"

Rohan flushed, and then hesitated. "No...I―I _do_ think one of the boys in my class is kinda cute though. Is that okay?"

Kai's smile widened. "Course it's okay. Some of my crew's like that. Some like boys and girls, or just one, and our cook Daw doesn't like anybody that way. Momo and Pabu, they've been together nearly as long as me and Jinora have and they're really happy." He raised one eyebrow to Rohan. "So, is this boy cute?"

Rohan's blush deepened. "Yeah. But I haven't really spoken to him, but that's okay. I'd rather wait until I'm older and I can have something like Mom and Dad, and you and my sister."

"It's something worth waiting for," Kai grinned, and ruffled Rohan's hair. "We're not far from the _Waterbender_ , I can give you a quick tour if you'd like. Rohan, you could see all the star charts and stuff," the Captain offered. "You'll have to ask your dad though."

Rohan turned to his father, practically glowing with excitement. "Please, Dad? I've got all my homework done and everything!"

Tenzin did a smile that seemed to be more of a grimace. "I suppose it's alright. Just don't touch anything. A pirate ship can't be very safe."

"It was worse when I was a kid," Kai said offhandedly. "Yung went through this crazy kid-proofing phase before everything realized I knew how to take care of myself in a bad situation. Honestly, this ship's the safest place I've ever been." When they reached the hull, he gave it a fond pat. "Lefty's been here the longest. He's around 58 now and he's been on this boat since he was 20 so 38 years." At Tenzin's raised eyebrow, Kai added, "I had Otaku teach me a little math, to help out with the budget and balancing and stuff. Better late than never."

Kai spotted Skoochy sitting down by the steering wheel, instead of polishing it. "Hey Skooch, your break isn't here yet!" Skoochy groaned but pulled himself to his feet.

"Ah Cap, don't shi―"

"No swearing in front of Rohan," Kai admonished.

"Fine, don't nag me like that," Skoochy said with a grin. Kai wanted to give him the finger, but remembered that not only was he in front of Jinora's father, but also her very impressionable younger brother who for some reason idolized him. He'd get back at Skoochy later. Right now, it was time to show off his home, in all it's simple pleasures and brokenness, and he felt a spark of pride.

This was his home, Jinora's home, now. He felt a new bout of confidence as he grinned at the Gyatsos. "How bout a tour?"

* * *

Jinora knew this conversation wasn't going to be easy. How could breaking someone's heart ever be easy? Jinora had arranged to meet Lee at the orchard on a whim, but was regretting now that she remembered they had shared their first kiss there. Sighing, she played restlessly with her hands until she heard footsteps, and looked up to see Lee striding towards her, his dark hair falling over his forehead in waves.

They simply stared at each other, before Lee spoke in a hurried rush, "Look, I'm sorry, I didn't know―"

"You shouldn't have needed to know," Jinora cut him off coldly, and Lee fell silent, avoiding her eyes.

"How..." Lee cleared his throat, looking meek and small in a way he only ever did in front of her. "How is he?"

At least Lee sounded sincerely concerned. "Better," Jinora's voice softened. "Yung got through to him before it could get worse, and then I've been helping as well. But, that's actually not what I wanted to talk to you about." Lee raised his eyebrows. "I wanted to talk about us."

"Oh?" Lee swallowed hard, seemingly steeling himself for something, and Jinora waited, looking at him expectantly. "Well I―I'm in still in love with you, if that's what you're wondering―"

Jinora frowned. "Lee―"

"But I get it, you're with him and I'm gonna try...try to respect that. Even if he is a pirate, y―you love him, so...so he can't be that bad?" Lee fidgeted with the zipper of his coat uniform. "But if we could be friends, I'd―I'd like that more than anything. To have you in my life again."

"I'm not sure if that's a very good idea," Jinora said slowly, and whatever cautious hope had been in Lee's eyes vanished. "But..."

"If it's the long distance you're worried about, we could always write letters," he offered, determined to not be so easily deterred. Struggling with long distance had been the reason―or at least so he had thought, but now he wasn't quite so sure―that their relationship had fallen to pieces.

Jinora seemed to follow what lines he was thinking along, because she shook her head. "No, it wasn't that. Or it was a much smaller part. It―it's complicated, Lee. You couldn't―you could never understand it." She felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes.

Lee studied her for a moment, his eyes growing sad as he asked, "What―what happened to you, Jinora? It can't have just been the suitors. How long has it been like this?"

"Since I was 12. That's the first time I remember really feeling...feeling suffocated, but it might have started earlier? But I was fencing, and I was good. I was really, really good, and I wanted to compete in a tournament, but there was no girl's league, and―and it wasn't considered _ladylike,_ so I couldn't. And just because someone was rich, and a man, he was considered worth my time. His opinion meant more than mine."

Jinora hadn't meant to sound so bitter, nor had she meant to say so much, but now that she had started, it seemed impossible to stop. Kai already knew, he already understood, but if she could make Lee understand, then maybe one day she could make her family, her father, understand too.

"And boarding school because I was away, I could have my opinions and not worry about how it'd reflect on my family's precious reputation, on my father's political career, I didn't have to be as quiet, as nice, as polite. But even then, why let me into the economics and politics class? Why would Mr. Ling recommend me for university scholarships? Even with top marks, why would I need to know anything that's going to be important to a future, a career that I might want? No, I'm just going to be the future Governor's wife, useless and decorate and―and QUIET!"

"And Miki and Pfannee and ShenShen, they loved me, you loved me and so did my family but no one understood that I wanted more! And maybe that's selfish, that I grew up in the lack of luxury with money but it just felt like a cage and I was screaming and no one ever seemed to hear it. I hoped maybe you'd understand, being second born, overlooked for your family's fortune, but you didn't, you had choices! You left! I―I couldn't, but I wanted to. And that was before LingShi Chow came along. Before he tried to break me."

Jinora's bottom lip trembled, and she wiped furiously at the tears now running down her face. "After a few months, I learned how to cover up bruises with makeup. But I figured someone―anyone, would have to notice, how quiet, how withdrawn I was. Someone would have to notice...but no one did. My family was too busy with their own lives and I―" her voice broke. "Kai, the crew, they did kidnap me. There's no point in saying that they didn't."

"But after the first two days, I didn't feel like a prisoner. I had my own room, they treated me with respect, more respect than any man had ever given me. Even Kai, all we did was argue, for those first four days, we just screamed at each other. He didn't hold back just because I was rich, or a girl. He called me a spoiled little brat, and I called him a selfish, arrogant bastard, but we both realized we were wrong. We―he saved me. He gave me a way out. He helped me move past LingShi, he treated me like a person, and he didn't give up on me. He saw that just because I was rich didn't mean I didn't know what misery, what suffering, felt like. You're right," Jinora nearly smiled. "I do love him. And the rest of the crew. They're my boys, they're my family. And I don't care that you hate pirates as a whole, because they're different, they are. And even the worst pirates, you never stop to think about why they end up there, to escape poverty or slavery or some other shit-hole."

"You're not my family Lee," Jinora sniffled. "You don't have a free pass. If you want to be in my life again, you need to understand that. You need to at least accept me, in a way you didn't before, because you couldn't understand why anyone wouldn't want this life, and I couldn't understand why anyone would want it. Because that's why we didn't work, and we never will, not in that way. If you still want to be my friend, you're going to have to prove it."

Lee was quiet for a long time, as the weight of everything Jinora had said hang heavily between them. Jinora reigned her emotions back in while she waited for Lee to say something, anything. She had cared for him, and she still did. He had been a bright spot on a dark horizon for a long time, but then even that light had started flickering, and then everything had just gone downhill...

"I think," Lee said slowly, "that I can't promise you anything. I never could. But I'll try to understand, to be supportive, as your friend. We were friends, first, after all. I can try being that again. And I'm not going to pretend that I'll be perfect, or that I like him, any of them, very much but...But I love you, so I'll try. Is that enough?"

Jinora cracked a small, weak smile, and hugged him for the first time in over three years. "I think we can find out."

* * *

The tour of the ship was rather quick, as there wasn't much to see. They lingered in the maps and chart room so Rohan could admire their star charts before leaving Otaku to his work, and Daw let them each take a cookie from the fresh batch he was making for dessert that night. In what seemed to be no time at all, they were heading back up to the mansion for lunch.

"I heard what your advice to Meelo," Tenzin said seriously, and Kai smiled uneasily, as Rohan and Meelo were walking on a good distance ahead, Rohan chattering excitedly about something, with Pema and Ikki in between the two sets of boys.

"Oh, uh well he asked and I just thought―I hope you didn't think I was intruding or?" Kai rubbed the back of his neck, wondering if he was in for a lecture. They were the worst, especially getting them from Yung growing up. ("No, Kai, deciding to see how long you can hang up inside down from the rope grid is a good idea, even if you and Ryu did make a bet!")

"No," the Governor cleared his throat. "In fact I thought it was rather good advice." Kai gave him a look of surprise. "Especially given the fact your parents weren't around to be examples of a loving relationship...?"

Kai frowned. "No," he swallowed, keeping his voice neutral. "No, they weren't. They died when I was very young." He wished, not for the first time, that that was the reason.

Kai cleared his throat. "I, uh, didn't want to have to mention it...I was hoping Rohan would, but?" Seeing Tenzin's confused look, Kai took it as confirmation that Rohan hadn't said a thing about his bullies. "When Jinora and I picked Rohan up from school she went to look for him in the front while I stayed in the back, only Rohan did come out my way...and some older boys were pushing him around. They were going to beat him up, but I uh, I stepped in. But one of them, Rakko or something―"

Tenzin raised his eyebrows. "Rakko Ginho?"

"He had a knife on him. I got rid of it quickly, but..." Kai grit his teeth. "They were messing with Rohan 'cause he's your son, and he didn't want to worry you since you're already busy with getting re-elected but...I don't like the idea of him going to school on Monday with those boys."

"No of course not," Tenzin said, looking deeply troubled. "I'll talk to his teachers at once. Bullies are one thing I should have foreseen, but having a weapon on school property is concerning for a number of reasons. Rakko could even be charged with assault despite being a minor..." Tenzin's already lined brow furrowed, and Kai saw the Governor's age clearly for the first time. Tenzin really was getting up there, in his early 60s most likely.

Tenzin was silent for a long while, and Kai was sure he was just thinking about how Rohan had kept this from him and why, when Tenzin spoke up. "I'm not sure if Jinora's told you, but she's asked me to inquire about your birth records," Tenzin said stiffly, stroking his beard and looking troubled.

Kai glanced at him, unsure exactly of how he should respond. "Yeah, she told me. And I'm grateful for you willing to at least give it a try. I wish I could give more information to help though, but I really don't know...I don't know anything." Kai rubbed the back of his neck and quickly pushed on. "But you should know, the orphanage was shut down because of―"

Kai abruptly shut his mouth as Rohan scampered over to them, practically tripping over his own feet. The boy brushed back a tuft of hair that had fallen in front of his eyes and frowned deeply. "You're leaving tomorrow?" Rohan whined.

Kai frowned slightly. "Yeah. I got to kiddo. Pirates are always traveling."

Rohan looked up at him thoughtfully. "Could...could I write you letters?"

Kai smiled a little. "Sure thing kiddo, and I'll write back as often as I can." He made a cross over his heart. "Pirate's honour." Kai's grin widened, and then faltered in surprise when Rohan threw himself at him and wrapped his skinny little arms around Kai's torso.

"Thank you!" Rohan's voice was slightly muffled.

Kai chuckled nervously, and wrapped half an arm around Rohan's thin frame. Hugs from anyone outside of the crew, mostly Yung and Jinora, were extremely rare phenomenons. He couldn't ever remember getting hugged by anyone else, although he supposed his mother must have hugged him when he was a baby.

Kai relaxed once Rohan let go. "Of course, kid." He glanced up at Pema, who had called Rohan's name. "I think your mom needs you for something, Ro."

Rohan grinned widely at him, and then sprinted over to his mother, who wrapped an arm around his shoulders when he reached her.

"I appreciate it Kai," Tenzin said suddenly, noticing where Kai's gaze had gone, "what you've done for Rohan. I do, truly. For protecting him."

With a start, Kai realized that was the first time the Governor had ever said his name, or at least the first time he'd ever heard it. He glanced at Tenzin and nearly smiled. "Of course, sir. I'm happy to help. Rohan's a good kid."

The Captain noticed Jinora walking down from the mansion with Lee in tow, and both looked happy, even if Jinora's eyes were rimmed with red. All of Kai's worries about it vanished though, when Jinora took his hand. Their eyes met, and he asked her a wordless question that her smile answered.

 _I'm okay. You?_

 _Yeah._

"I knew you would be," Kai whispered in her ear, and Jinora leaned into him as he wrapped an arm around her waist, his comforting warmth bleeding into hers.

"Yeah, you too."


	9. The Dinner and the Departure

**Compass**

* * *

Chapter Nine:  
The Dinner and the Departure

* * *

Kai had never experienced much physical contact, or at least not much that was affectionate. Even now, among his crew, hugs between him and his men were on the rarer side. Light shoulder punches, clapping each other on the back or ruffling each other's hair was much more common, with him at least. In fact, as Kai reached back in his memory for the first time he could ever remember being hugged, Yung was the only one who often did more, pulling him into hugs or vice versa. Before Jinora, at least. For so long, he had convinced himself he was fine with the lack of contact, had resolved himself to the idea that Jinora would never ever want to be with someone like him―

And now she was holding his hand, their fingers tightly intwined as they walked up to her family's mansion together. Jinora's tone was happy and light as she and her mother and sister discussed Ikki's coming-of-age ball― "I was thinking the overall colour theme would be the family colours, yellow and red y'know―" "You could get flowers from the garden and hold the main party in the courtyard―" ―and Kai knew that whatever she needed to say to Sono had been said, and evidently had helped. Kai wouldn't dare ask for the details, as he didn't really need to know. What had been said was private, and if Jinora chose to divulge it then she would. Besides, Kai had a sneaking suspicion it was something he already knew.

Despite keeping the Quil incident under wraps, there was very little else Jinora didn't know, and mostly those were especially hard days on the streets, or stories of the orphanage that he'd do anything to forget. Everything else had come out in time, or in nightmares, and Jinora had accepted it all, just as he had done for her. He could relate to the problems of money as much as she could of not having any, but feeling alone, or inadequate, or suffering in silence: those were things both of them knew all too well.

Lunch was far easier to handle. The topic of Ikki's ball was the dominating one, and as Kai had very little knowledge of a woman's official entry into high society, he was able to keep quiet for the most part. Jinora's opinion was called upon a few times, but she spoke of her own coming-of-age ball with a slight frown tugging on her lips, and Lee quickly pulled the attention away from her by discussing his own younger sister's a year or so ago. Kai had never thought he'd be grateful to the man for anything, yet here he was.

"Are you going to invite Tuyen Lillian?" Meelo asked Ikki, trying not to sound too interested, and Kai and Jinora exchanged a quick smile.

"I'm inviting all the girls in my year," Ikki said, stifling an eye roll, as it wasn't considered very ladylike. "Oh, that reminds me, I know the harvest season is a busy time of year for all sailors, but Jinora, you'll be able to attend right?"

"Yes?" Jinora glanced quickly at Kai, who nodded.

"Port Bosco and Republic City is quite a large part of the Gold Coast trading," he said shrugging. "And the crew's used to making plans based around each other's family business, anyway. This past winter we stopped in a small fishing town to visit our cook's family near the holidays, they live in En-an." En-an was a tiny town located in one of the many rivers that curled into the lower Gold Coast, not too far away from ZaFou.

"Do many of the crew members have families?" Rohan asked with all the tact of a 10-year-old.

"Less than half," Kai answered, his smile faltering. Excluding Appa and Momo, around 10 members of the crew were still on good terms with their families. Nukko, who was from the Northern Water Tribe, was in a mutual disownment with his family due to his sexual orientation (bastards, honestly) and they had no idea where Skoocky's family was, if any of them were still alive. Yung hadn't had any siblings and his father had passed away in his early 20s, as had Lefty's parents in his early teens. Pabu's family lived in the Fire Nation, Ryu's parents in the Earth Kingdom, Longshot's parents and brother in the North Eastern Earth Kingdom, and Otaku's lived all the way in Ba Sing Se, so he saw them least of all. The rest of the men's families were scattered around everywhere, especially Tyyo's since he had a gaggle of siblings and aunts and uncles, and they stopped in and visited them all whenever they could.

But the other half of his crew, himself included...Orphans, whether early or late in life, out of death, or abandonment. "So, uh, we do our best to accommodate," he finished hastily.

"I'll be sure to come," Jinora reiterated with a soft smile, squeezing his hand underneath the table, and then Pema started on a discussion about the garden, barely five sentences in when Jinora winced suddenly, and Kai immediately looked at her; no one else had noticed a thing.

"You okay?" he said quickly.

"I feel a little woozy, that's all," Jinora gave him a reassuring smile, which she then gave to everyone else when they looked over in concern. "I'm sure it's because I'm not used to all the rich fancy food after eating all of Daw's homemade dishes for so long. Although, don't ever tell our family cook this, but I do think Daw's food is better."

"He used to work in a―in a high society home," Kai said, feeling awkward. Speaking about the rich was so much easier when they weren't around. "I forget the name of the family though."

Lee looked surprised. "Really?"

"So did Pallo, he was a footman. Pirates come from all over, from all different walks of life. Or at least my crew does," Kai shrugged. "Your officers must be somewhat similar?"

"Enlisting in Kuvira's forces requires quite a sum of money," Lee explained. "So there are a few who come from the lower class, but it's mostly from the middle."

Kai nodded, as if he wasn't very surprised. "So she doesn't want to give the street rats a way out. Typical."

Lee frowned. "Captain, I don't think―"

"I'm certain Kai has a better understanding of poverty than you do," Jinora said firmly, and Lee shut his mouth. "Certainly more than any of us do."

"Is being poor really hard?" Rohan asked, looking in between Kai and his parents.

"Rohan, that's not an appropriate question to ask," Tenzin admonished, looking uncomfortable.

Rohan's face fell. "Oh, sorry."

"It's okay," Kai said quickly, forcing a smile. "Really. I―I'm glad you don't know what it's like. It's not...it's hard. But that's why your dad's a good Governor. He works to help people who weren't as lucky as I was."

Lee and Tenzin both looked surprised, but the latter looked positively shocked. The Governor opened and closed his mouth a few times, and composed himself when Rohan threw him a wide smile. "Er," Tenzin cleared his throat. "Thank you, Kai," he said slowly. The Captain nodded slightly in response, not quite managing a smile.

Lee, meanwhile, frowned, and stared hard at Kai. "You honestly think you're lucky?" How could any man believe that when he had gone through something so terrible? Born into poverty, an orphan... But then again, Kai was with Jinora; maybe he was very lucky.

"Yes?" Kai raised his eyebrow. "I got out. Other kids didn't. If it hadn't been for Yung, I...I would have ended up just like 'em." Kai quickly pushed on. "So, er, what are you re-election policies this year, Governor?"

Tenzin blinked. "Oh, well..." The various changes Tenzin continued to try and introduce, or policies or ideas that were going to be newly instated, carried the conversation more or less through the rest of the meal. Pema, Meelo and Lee interjected a few times, but luckily no one called on Kai nor Jinora, and the pirate just made himself concentrate on the feel of Jinora's hand in his, keeping him grounded.

Once lunch was over, Kai was thinking about maybe popping down to the ship just to check in on things, when Jinora requested, "If you're going down, could you grab me one of Daw's cookies?"

Kai smiled at her, as they walked slightly ahead of her family and Lee in the mansion's gardens. "I dunno if I'll be able to, Tyyo helped me nick one the other day, and I kinda threw him under the carriage."

"He can't hold grudges, though," Jinora said fondly. "At least try."

"I'll try," Kai conceded.

"Are Daw's cookies really good?" Rohan asked, bright eyed and curious.

"There are kiddo," Kai confirmed. "We usually have them after dinner though, as a kind of dessert. You could, come for dinner? To try it as dessert, with everyone else of course, if you―if you wanted to?"

Kai threw Jinora pleading a look, hating the way he stumbled over such simple words. _Save me._

"It would be easy to squeeze in a few more chairs," Jinora added, her eyes gleaming with amusement. Why had he fallen for someone who found his distress so amusing? But then he saw her smile and remembered exactly why, and couldn't believe he had ever doubted it. Even if she did find his blasted awkwardness amusing. "You're welcome to join us."

"We'd love to," Pema said brightly, throwing her husband a warning look. "It's very kind of you to invite us Kai, thank you."

Swallowing hard, Kai added, "You can come as well if you'd like, Sono," but everyone, including Lee, knew it was an empty offer.

"No, I have to eat dinner with my family, my sister graduated from university so we're in the midst of celebrating," Lee declined. "I'd better be going actually. Jinora," Lee smiled at her, then at the Gyatsos, and then started walking towards where the ferry was docked. Kai was glad to see him go.

Jinora didn't look as similarly pleased, but that was alright as Jinora squeezed his hand. "Does around 6:30 work?" she asked her family.

Pema smiled warmly. "6:30's fine."

* * *

Kai, generally, liked to think he was pretty cool under pressure. He could keep his head in a battle or some kind of crisis, had grown adept at handling less than stellar situations. It was a skill that had grown out of being Captain, and while there were some things that still threw him into a panic ―Yung, or Jinora, being injured was the worst― but more or less, he knew how to keep his head on his shoulders.

Having the Gyatsos over for dinner with his crew seemed to be another exception.

"Captain, everything's going to be fine―" Jinora placed her hands on his shoulders to stop his pacing. Kai frowned at her. "Love," she murmured, "relax. Please? We're nearly in the clear. You'll be fine. The crew will be perfect―okay maybe not perfect gentlemen, but you're pirates with morals, everything will be fine."

Kai kissed her gratefully. "You're right, I know I'm sorry―it's just a tour was one thing, dinner's different...Longer?" It was times like this that Kai wished that not only was he better at figuring out what he was feeling, but how to express it.

"More personal?" Jinora suggested, and he nodded.

"Yeah, that."

"If it's any consolation I'm sure my father is going to be far more uncomfortable than you," she said with a slight smile. "After all this is _your_ home, and us pirates outnumber my family five times over."

Kai relaxed under her hands. "I guess that's true...Speaking of the crew, since your family will be here soon, I should have a word with them. I think I need to set some ground rules, just in case."

It only took around 10 minutes to round up all 24 members, as Kai stood at his place at the hand of the table. He had to clear his throat a couple times, the first to gain everyone's attention, the second for a stringy man named Bansi to stop playing his flute. Ryu reached over and yanked the flute away from him, still managing to look bored with everything.

"Thank you," Kai said tiredly. "Now, Gyatso's family will be here in half an hour, so before you get back to wrapping up your chores, I figured I should set some ground rules. #1) No swearing. Her youngest brother's 10 and language can get pretty dirty around here, so just try to keep it under control; we don't need him picking up any of it. #2) No drinking." Some of the men grumbled loudly and he sighed. "Fine, no strong, drinking, anyway," he shot a pointed look at Lefty, "because God knows some of us can't keep our mouths shut when we're drunk. #3) If you did anything illegal today, stealing, smuggling whatever―"

He looked at Tyyo expectantly, who raised his brows. "I didn't do nothing today, swear!"

"Well someone must have stolen something today." Kai surveyed his crew and crossed his arms over his chest. "C'mon, fess up."

Sighing, slowly, Pallo raised his hand. Kai shot the former footman a surprised look. "Skoochy wanted cigarettes," Pallo shrugged his narrow shoulders, that tattoo of a bird covering one and going over the part of his collarbone that was visible, only partially covered by the traps of his loose shirt. "And the lady selling them was real mean anyway."

Kai tilted his head to the side, considering Pallo's reasoning. He guessed it wasn't that bad. "The point is, if you do something illegal, it's in the Governor's city, so we're gonna pretend we're all perfect law-abiding citizens just for a couple of hours okay? Kind of illegal stuff in other cities is okay, just not this one." Kai wracked his brain to see if there was anything he was forgetting. "Understood?"

"Aye aye Cap," his crew chorused together, and Kai gave them a little smile in relief.

"Good."

* * *

Jinora, Kai and Yung waited up on deck for her family, while the members of the crew who still had some chores finished up the last minute touches. Lefty was putting away the polish from where he had been cleaning the steering wheel, Otaku gathering the papers from his desk on the deck and taking them below deck for safekeeping, with some help from Tyyo and Pabu.

Rohan ran up the ramp excitedly, grinning widely. Despite the tour his family had been given the previous day, the novelty of being on a real pirate ship had apparently not worn off. "What's for dinner?" the young boy asked brightly.

Kai smiled. "Veggie stew, to start anyway. It's a little harder to get fruits and veggies out at sea, 'cause they go bad quicker, but Gyatso's a vegetarian so we've worked around it."

"I'm sorry for being such an inconvenience, Captain," Jinora wrinkled her nose, smiling.

"Eh, you're worth it," Kai shrugged, and Jinora's smile grew while she rolled her eyes. "The food's nearly ready, Daw and everyone else on kitchen duty will be serving it now, so we can head down."

Some chairs had been taken from their storage rooms, used primarily when they had liberated slaves on the ship, but it had been fairly easy to cram a few more chairs into their dining hall. They had been set up close to Jinora's usual chair on Kai's right, at the head of the table, with Yung and Skoochy and Appa and Momo situated on his other side, the crew chatting and eagerly waiting for dinner. Pallo, Pabu, Daw and Ryu and Imaru were all serving platters of food, bowls of steaming orange veggie stew being passed down, one after the other like a well-oiled machine.

The men fell silent once the Gyatsos entered the hall, a few, like Bansi, unabashedly staring, until Kai cleared his throat and his men hastily diverted their eyes. Pallo in particular seemed to be struggling if whether he should speak or not―Kai supposed years of serving a high-society family as a footman was easier to forget when you were completely removed from that environment.

Otaku set down his papers once he sat down, drawing his focus away from his work for only a moment to give Ryu an appreciative smile as the man handed the navigator his stew.

Kai took his place at the head of the table while the Gyatsos took theirs, sitting lined up along Jinora's side of the table. "Otaku, you should give it a rest," the Captain said, catching the man's eye.

"Captain I'm just―"

"No work at the table," Kai reminded him. "Or at least not at dinner. Whatever it is can wait until afterwards, or, better yet, tomorrow. You work too hard."

While Otaku, rather reluctantly, started tidying up his papers, the rest of the crew started settling down. Those who had been cooking or serving were finished, Daw the last of everyone to sit down, his lovingly cooked meal laid out now to his satisfaction. A few pots of stew were placed periodically along the table's length, and the crew were experts and passing over condiments and napkins and the like, after eating together for so long. His worries about the crew being uncomfortable about their new additions was clearly unfounded: everyone was chatting happily and normally, relaxed and content, and he too felt some of the tenseness fade away.

"What are your papers for?" Rohan asked Otaku, even as the rest of his family remained silent, looking and surely feeling out of place among the pirates.

Otaku gave the boy a small smile and pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. "Oh, I'm mapping out a route to Tong Gong. It's quite the hub for jewelry trade once the ice melts, so we're hoping to it during its prime. Spring tends to be the busiest time of the year. It also has good herbs for healing, so we want to restock so sickness can't worm its way onto the ship. Typically, if one of us gets sick, we all get sick. Except for Kai, who has a bizarrely strong immune system."

"Survival tactic," Kai said shortly, although he was smiling. "Anything interesting happen while Gyatso and I were gone?"

"Some letters came, nothing for you though," Otaku said. Sometimes the Captain would receive letters from Korra or the Ferreto brothers, who made sure to keep him updated on their former stowaway, Kida's, progress. "But Captain, Tong Gong isn't too far from Dishow, d'you think we could stop there for a few days?"

"'Course," Kai said easily. "You wanna see Jaya?" Otaku smiled a little bashfully. The woman in question was Otaku's long-distance girlfriend, currently going to university in the same city Otaku had grown up in. "We'll stay there as long as we can. You can show Gyatso the library, while you're at it. Alumni privileges and all that."

"You went to university?" Tenzin asked, looking politely surprised, as he took his first spoonful of Daw's soup, and then hastily having another. It seemed no one could ever resist Daw's cooking.

"Yes sir," Otaku answered promptly. "Dika Dishow's University. I graduated high school early and then studied philosophy, politics, economics, astronomy and astrology, languages―"

"So everything, really," Yung added.

"I was on my way to be a linguistic and translator, before I joined up here," Otaku finished. "Pallo grew up a few towns over, so he got some schooling too. Not as much, but he got up to high school, and most people don't, in Shenjiaba. Too busy with being merchants and all that." Located next to a narrow river, not far from one of the bays close to Ba Sing Se, it was one of the top trading towns outside those on the Gold Coast.

Pallo straightened up at the sound of his name, quickly looked at the Gyatsos, and then diverted his gaze, almost looking ashamed.

"He used to work in a high-society home," Kai explained in a low voice. "Not the nicest folks, either. Some habits die hard, I guess―Momo, you're going to spill on yourself―" he called over.

Momo looked like a spooked mouse as he suddenly realized he had forgotten to eat his spoonful of soup, and droplets of the orange liquid were about to stain his tunic. "Ooh, thanks Cap," he chirped, smiling as he ate the spoonful. Appa gave his nephew a reproving look.

"Why'd you get distracted anyhow?" the large man mused.

"I was watching Zedd's magic trick," Momo explained.

Zedd had slightly curly, pale brown hair, that hung down in waves, clipped close to the nape of his neck, and typically sat across from Momo for that particular reason. His pack of trading cards were shifting around in his hands, clearly showing off some of his tricks to Momo, who was probably the only one besides Jinora who didn't know all of them already.

"At least he's not gambling," Kai muttered. That was how they had met. A betting pool had gone south and nearly gotten Zedd killed until Kai, 13 years old and a smartass with a good backup team, had gotten him out of it―and the rest was history. "Rohan, don't gamble. It's not worth it."

"You gamble with your life a fair amount," Longshot said. "Really, I wish you would have waited longer before doing brunt labour again, it's not good for your back―"

" _I_ will be fine," Kai said smoothly. "But I do want you to check on Skoochy. And anyone else who might have gotten a bit roughed up today." Even if Pallo was the only one who ad admitted to doing anything illegal, he was sure more of his men had done something along those lines. "And Otaku, after we hit Yun Ho, see if we have time to stop at En-an, it's about time Daw saw his family again. And it's Tyyo's birthday, three weeks from now. Set some money aside for that. And I've been thinking about getting a permanent messenger hawk, making deliveries easier, in case of emergency. Is there anything else? God, what else am I forgetting..."

"To take care of yourself along the way?" Jinora suggested, before taking a sip of her beer. "Sleeping, eating?"

 _Getting you a ring._ Kai made a mental note to talk with Otaku about it privately later, to try and keep it as some sort of surprise. So that meant he would need to talk to Lefty too.

Speaking of Lefty, the one-legged man was rising from the table, waving down Daw's offer to get something. "Nah, I'll get it myself, just wanna a refill―" He held up his drained beer glass.

Suddenly, Lefty lurched forwards, and Kai barely reached him in time to stop him from falling. His pegleg had given out under his weight, a splintered, broken mess, as Kai lifted him back onto his good foot. Lefty was by no means a small man, wide set and stocky, as well as tall, but Kai merely took on more of his weight, letting the man lean more heavily on him.

"You got a spare right?" he checked, helping Lefty back into his chair. After the man nodded, Kai threw a look at Yung, who sprang up to go retrieve the second prosthetic, and Daw got up as well to go get Lefty another beer from the kitchen.

"Yeah," Lefty huffed. "Blasted thing." He wrenched off his broken pegleg, the wood cracked down the centre.

Kai's brow furrowed. The spare wouldn't last for long, and Lefty obviously couldn't use his other one, but prosthetics, the good, lasting kinds anyway, were expensive. Very expensive. They'd have to pick up some extra money or odd jobs along the way to pay for it and keep everything else in the budget balanced. Kai ran a hand through his hair. Ah well, he'd take care of that somehow. The ring might have to be delayed a little longer than he hoped, but...Taking care of his crew was his job, first and foremost.

Lefty clapped Kai on the shoulder. "Thanks for catching me Cap."

"It's my fault anyway," Kai said quietly, shrugging, and Lefty tightened his hold on his shoulder.

"It's _not_ your fault," Lefty said gruffly, yet keeping his voice low so no one else would hear.

Kai just rolled his eyes, as Yung handed Lefty the spare leg. "Anyway, we'll have to buy a new one. Yuanshan has the best ones, so we'll make a special stop there and save up for it along the way."

"Don't spend too much," Lefty said.

"We'll spend whatever we can afford to get you the best one available," Kai said firmly. "Now just don't put too much weight on it for a while. I'll see if Po or Nidhi can make another spare as well for you in the meantime, just in case."

The two brothers in question were both excellent carpenters, the former more than loud enough for both of them, even if Nidhi was older. Otaku jotted down some kind of reminder on the top of the closest piece of parchment. The rest of the paper was full of a neat scrawl and scribbled numbers, most in Otaku's handwriting but a few in Kai's.

Kai suddenly remembered something, and cleared his throat. "Er men? Men?" he raised his voice slightly, and his crew quieted, directing their attention to him. "You all remember that you have a, erm, _special_ assignment tomorrow before we head out right? So be back by 10 at the latest."

When Daw came back from the kitchen and gave Lefty a fresh bottle of beer, the cook smiling. "Here ya go. I'll be bringing out the cookies as soon as the salad's gone―I can't have you getting scurvy can I?" Daw said.

"Of course not," Kai grinned.

He felt Jinora's fingers press into his under the table, taking his hand giving it a reassuring squeeze in case his brief exchange with Lefty had upset him at all. It had, a little, but not enough to cut him down. Kai squeezed her hand back. _I'm okay._

It was nice to mean it for once.

Kai let himself relax, his crew buzzing and talking around him, the chatter washing over him in peaceful waves. His crew was okay, well-fed and happy, like usual. Tomorrow, any of the stress of the past few days could be lifted off his shoulders. And, to boot, he thought that he was hopefully on better terms with Jinora's family, especially Tenzin, than he had been at the beginning of the weekend.

Zedd was still showing off magic tricks to Momo, Otaku sneaking looks at his papers when he thought Kai wasn't noticing. Imaru was making sure Lefty didn't get to his third beer too fast, while Pallo was talking with Po and Nidhi. Longshot was talking with Skoochy, probably inquiring about the man's injuries, Bansi and Tyyo talking brightly about something they had bought that day in town. Pabu was showing some of his newest photographs to Appa, Daw weaving in and out in between chairs with a tray of cookies and a grin on his face once everyone else had finished up with the salad.

Jinora's family, Kai noted with a pleased grin, had eaten all of the food on their plates, but somehow Rohan still managed to stuff a cookie in his mouth.

The dining hall, not for the first time, was starting to feel a bit stuffy with all the people and noise, so after dinner Yung led the way up onto the deck. The darkening sky and nighttime chill was cool on their faces. Longshot had brought up a few lanterns and Pabu had helped him set them up at just the right angle to stay balanced on _The Waterbender_ 's railing. Some pails were lined up along the railing, one full of dirty rags that had been used for cleaning earlier on in the day.

Kai was watching Tyyo and Momo compete to see who could climb up the rope grid faster (with Appa hovering underneath in case one of them fell), considering if he should stop them, but truly curious to see for himself. They were both on the skinnier side and kind of wiry, although Tyyo tended to be more energetic.

"Love?"

Jinora's voice pulled him out of it and he smiled slightly at her. "Hmm?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to make sure...Lefty's leg seemed to upset you..." she bit her lip, glancing at her family, who stood a short distance away and was talking with Yung and Otaku. Or at least, the navigator was pointing upwards, surely telling her little brother about the stars just starting to shine.

Kai kissed her cheek. "I'm alright Love, promise. I'll tell you soon, okay?"

Jinora laced their fingers together. "Okay." She glanced at Meelo, who looked extremely bored as Otaku and Rohan talked a mile a minute. "Should we go rescue my family?"

"Might earn me some brownie points with your father," Kai said quietly, smiling, and Jinora giggled.

"Otaku knows so much about the stars!" Rohan gushed once they had walked over. "He says he taught you about them too―"

"He did," Kai confirmed, grinning at his friend. "He's in charge of making all our maps and charts―but," Kai caught Jinora's look and remembered they had come over to steer the conversation away from the topic, "you're well on your way, kiddo. We'll be leaving too late to use the stars tomorrow though."

"I can come say goodbye before you leave though right?" Rohan frowned, looking in between Kai, his sister, and his father.

Tenzin stroked his beard. "I...suppose you being a few hours later to school could not hurt, just this once." Rohan beamed at him and Pema looked at him with soft eyes.

"Thank you sir," Kai inclined his head in a tiny nod.

"Hey Cap!"

The Captain turned his head around for a moment, and then something damp and smelly smacked him in the face. Coughing, Kai picked a dirty rag off his face to see Skoochy laughing at him. "Skooch, did you just―" Skoochy was laughing too hard to respond, and Kai narrowed his eyes when he realized what Skoochy had done after taking one of the dirty rags from the bucket pails. Sighing, Kai turned to Jinora and her family. "Excuse me a moment." Then he turned back to Skoochy and ran after him. "You're so dead!"

Jinora started laughing as she watched Skoochy dart around the mast and nearly slam into Appa as Kai tried in vain to catch him.

"Pallo, a little help?" Skoochy cried, as Kai finally managed to snag his wrist.

"I already got you cigarettes," Pallo crowed, grinning like the rest of the crew. Even Ryu was smiling. "You're on your own!"

Kai half-tackled Skoochy to the ground, laughing as he smushed the sock into Skoochy's face, who spluttered and coughed. "How d'you like it―"

"Eurg, it's disgusting!" Skoochy shoved the pirate off of him. "Worse than Appa's smelly feet!" Him and Kai were both on their knees now, gasping and laughing.

"My feet don't smell," Appa said indignantly, as Momo and Tyyo clambered back down the rope grid and landed on their feet next to them (it had ended up being a tie).

"They totally do," Imaru said quietly, and Appa gawked at him.

"I can't believe you put a dirty rag in my face," Kai giggled, and shoved the rag back at Skoochy for good measure.

"I should've thought of it first," Yung said, casting an admiring look at Skoochy, who started laughing at him while Kai pouted at his first mate, and then lobbed the rag over at Yung. "Hey! Oh, real mature!" Kai scrambled to his feet and yanked Skoochy up with him, both breathless from laughter as Yung took a handful of dirty rags from the nearest pail.

"Run?" Skoochy said.

"Run."

So they did, weaving around Appa as Yung ran after them, and somehow managed to get Momo, who then got both Tyyo and Pabu, to help in his chase. "Now we're outnumbered!" Skoochy shrieked, dodging a rag. "That's not fair!"

It didn't take long for the rest of the crew to join in, rags flying in every direction as alliances were built and then swiftly destroyed. Kai stumbled over to Jinora, grinned, and then grabbed her hand, pulling her into the fray, and Jinora grasped Rohan's hand as well, pulling him along with her. Rohan, it turned out, was quite good at dodging the rags, and Jinora had excellent aim, so Kai was well protected by the two of them.

This was his favourite thing about his crew, Kai realized, his lungs aching from laughing so hard. They were a ragtag bunch of misfits, a little cracked, a little damaged, but they had all ended up here, one way or another. They had all chosen to stay―and by doing so, they had built something that for the first 9 years of his life, Kai had never thought he would ever had: a family. Sure, they were unconventional, a little messy, a little immature, trying to steal pieces of childhoods they hadn't gotten to have, but they took care of each other. That was all that mattered, wasn't it?

Kai ended up leaning against the mast, trying to catch his breath, his head only a few feet down from where Yung had once recorded his growth spurts by carving short lines with the year inscribed next to it in the wood (he had stopped after Kai had gotten taller than him).

The smile was abruptly wiped off his face when a stray rag arced over and hit Tenzin square in the face. The thrower squeaked, and Momo immediately curled behind Appa to hide. The Governor merely took the rag off his face, stared at the gaping crew around him, and then, amazingly, smiled a little.

"It really does smell quite awful."

Kai burst out laughing with the rest of his family, and Jinora's, and her hand found his and squeezed hard.

He really had been worried for nothing. Progress, slowly but surely, was being made.

* * *

The crew had set out earlier to complete their "special assignment" so the ship was eerily quiet as Kai and Jinora waited for the Gyatsos to come down and say goodbye to them the following morning. Rohan, like the day before, reached them first, hugging Jinora tightly, and then Kai, who still didn't seem he quite knew what to do.

For a moment, Jinora wondered how many people had hugged him before Yung had come along.

Jinora ruffled her little brother's hair as he pulled away. "I think you're going to miss Kai more than you're going to miss me," she teased.

"So what if he is?" Kai grinned, and she wrinkled her nose at him, trying not to smile and failing.

Ikki and Meelo hugged Jinora next, Ikki grinning at Kai once she stepped back. "I wish we had gotten the chance to talk more," she said brightly, and Kai could tell that she meant it, and felt slightly surprised. "But there's always next time, right?"

"Right," he said faintly.

"Thanks for the, um, advice I guess?" Meelo stammered, and Kai chuckled.

"I guess you're welcome then."

Pema was next, giving her daughter a tight hug and smoothing down her hair. "I love you sweetheart, be safe. Keep in touch." She rested her hands on her daughter's shoulders, smiling even if she was a little teary eyed. "I'm so proud of you." Jinora laid a hand over Pema's and gave it a squeeze.

"I love you mom," Jinora whispered, smiling back at her.

Pema pulled Kai into a hug, and he seemed far more relaxed. He thought that maybe, when he was a baby, his mother's hugs might have felt a little like this. "Take care of yourself Kai," Pema said, smiling warmly.

Kai gave her a tiny grin. "You too, thank you, Mrs. Gyatso. Really."

Tenzin wrapped his arms tightly around his daughter, giving her a little squeeze. "Visit sooner, next time?" he requested, looking at her fondly. Jinora knew that whatever bad blood that may have existed between them wouldn't ruin them, and her own eyes softened. At the very least, her father was trying, and that was really all she could ask for.

"We'll try sir," Kai said, his smile faltering once Tenzin looked at him.

Then, the Governor nodded. "I certainly trust that you will."

Kai let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding as Tenzin looked away.

A few minutes later, the pirate saw his crew coming up from over one of the Island's small hills, from the gardens close to the where the ferry was residing in the harbour. They were all jovial, waving their hands wildly as they walked back onboard their ship. Yung was the last to come up, clapping Kai on the shoulder as the Gyatsos stayed on the docks, and Imaru and Appa began to pack the ramp away. Skoochy and Ryu hoisted the anchor while everyone else started raising the sails.

Jinora raised her hand in farewell as slowly, the _Waterbender_ shuddered out of Yue Bay. Once the sails had caught the wind, and the crew began to unwind, she looked at Kai curiously. "Can I know what the 'special assignment' was now?"

"Well," Kai grinned as the crew settled around him, and Pabu handed him a serious of pictures, mostly taken with his polaroid style camera. "You know our old friend LingShi Chow? The men paid his mansion a visit."

Kai handed her the photographs, and Jinora doubled over in laughter. LingShi's prestigious mansion in Port Bosco had been utterly trashed: windows were broken, red paint spilled over statues and the doorframe, more paint splattered across the face of the house. Across the door were the words _YOU'RE A HUGE_ and then a crude drawing of a penis underneath.

"The papers will be having a field day," Kai said joyfully. Once Jinora's laughter faded, she leaned into his side, grinning.

"Thank you," she squeezed his wrist, and Kai kissed the side of her head.

"Of course, love."

* * *

The incident found its way into the evening paper. And, as a good Governor, having successfully dealt with Rohan's bullying issue previously that day, Tenzin knew, really, he shouldn't find such humour in something so juvenile.

But he couldn't help but smile, just a little. Maybe, just maybe, Kai wasn't quite as a bad a choice for Jinora as Tenzin had thought. Maybe.


	10. The Revelation

**Compass**

* * *

Chapter Ten:  
The Revelation

* * *

Jinora woke up feeling sick to her stomach. She could feel the bile rising in her throat as she scrambled out of bed, and only made it to the bucket and basin she and Kai kept tucked away in the corner of their room (usually for washing up) just in time. She vomited into the empty wooden bucket, Kai quickly joining her side, his brow furrowing in concern as he placed a hand her back, his other gathering up her hair and pulling it away from her face.

"Gyatso, you okay?" he asked worriedly, crouching beside her. Once she had finished retching up the contents of her stomach, Jinora coughed into her arm and then nodded weakly.

"Yeah. My stomach feels funny I guess." Jinora took a glass near the basin of water and sipped it, trying to get the taste of barf out of her mouth. "Eating rich food again, but I feel fine, really."

"You were feeling woozy on the weekend too though," Kai said, frowning. "I think you should go talk to Longshot."

"I'm fine Captain," she said again. "Honestly. It's only been a few days since the weekend, my stomach's just adjusting that's all." She wrinkled her nose at him. "You worry too much." Besides, she didn't want to bother Longshot with something that was probably nothing, and she didn't want the medic or her Captain to go overboard with buying herbs and medicine they didn't need nor could really afford.

Kai sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm not going to get you to change your mind, am I?" Jinora smiled and shook her head. Sometimes, Kai hated how stubborn she could be. "Fine. But if you this happens again, or you feel woozy again, we're getting it checked out, deal?"

Jinora smiled a little at him. "Deal. I'm going to go get some more water, and brush my teeth. You get back to bed, we still have a few hours before we have to get up and you could always use more sleep."

Kai's eyes softened. Ever since he and Jinora had been sharing a bed, his nightmares had become far more manageable. Nothing had happened to trigger bad events except anniversaries of dates, and even those were easy to miss. There wasn't a lot of point of keeping track of explicit dates while out at sea, and most pirates didn't. Or at least, Kai didn't; the only one who really needed to was Otaku when it came to what they could spend each day.

"Alright," he said, and planted a kiss on her temple. He got back in bed as she left their quarters, and came back a few minutes later, her breath pure and clean.

She snuggled up to him, burying her face in his chest. Kai felt his eyelids droop and his breath even out. "Are you sure you're okay?" he murmured drowsily.

"I'm fine," she cupped one side of his face, stroking her thumb over his cheek. "Stop worrying, love."

She pressed a kiss to his jaw before they fell back asleep.

* * *

They docked at Tong Gong the following morning. The port was bright and busy, which was about what Jinora expected since it was renown for its sparkling gems and glittering jewelry.

"Ya have to see it, Jinora," Lefty was saying over breakfast, and Imaru nodded from his right. "No matter how rich your family is, this stuff is something else."

"Sea witch magic is sometimes interwoven into the jewels, protective enchantments and all that. And some of the regular jewels are imported from the Fire Nation but only made into jewelry in Bandit Bay," Imaru added.

"Extremely expensive of course," Lefty snorted.

"Have you ever stole any of it?" Jinora inquired curiously.

"Once," Lefty said, while Imaru shook his head. "Nearly lost my head for it, but stealing something that's so sought after...You can imagine the blood that goes into it." He shrugged. "Part of the reason I joined Zaheer, actually. A 17 year old with sea witch jewelry who sold it off quick as he could, I was in _way_ over my head. Tired and true story 'round here."

Jinora nodding, knowing it was indeed true. As stories had been traded and exchanged, pasts brought up and explained of her fellow crew, Jinora had come closer to the conclusion that in many ways, this beat up old pirate ship was many of theirs' safe haven. Their sanctuary, finding them just in time when the world got too lonely or too hard, giving them a fresh start to create a life that felt worthwhile. She knew that for so many of them ―herself included― the ship, and their odd, unconventional family they had built within it, had saved them.

"As long as those stories have happy endings," she smiled, and Lefty inclined his head, grinning. "I'll have to see some of this jewelry now, however." Beyond her half of the anchor necklace, and her GranGran's old locket, she didn't have anything else. As much as she hated the over-elaborate dresses and corsets of her old high-society life, jewelry was one thing she missed having, to some extent. She'd never think of buying something so expensive, of course, but it would be nice to see such fine craftsmanship.

"Don't do too much walking," Kai warned from his seat the head of the table. "Lefty, you don't want to put too much weight on your spare, remember―"

"I remember Cap," Lefty sighed. "Don't worry."

"Although Lefty before you leave, I would like to talk to you about something," Kai said, almost nervously drumming his fingers over the edge of his chair.

Lefty arched an eyebrow at him. "Sure thing Cap."

Kai knew, deep down, he had no real reason to be nervous, but his heart was somehow lodged in his throat that mid-morning, just before Lefty, Imaru and Jinora were going to join the rest of the crew and head into Tong Gong. Everyone save for him and the older pirate were already above decks, either embarking or waiting to leave.

"So," Lefty took Jinora's usual chair in the dining hall, sitting down with a sigh. Even with his spare leg Lefty was fully mobile, but Kai knew he preferred to sit whenever he could. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Kai felt like a little kid again, when Lefty had towered over him, far more patient than Ryu when it came to explaining the ins and outs of a specific chore, or what it was like to have people who actually cared about him, when Yung couldn't quite provide an answer. Taking a deep breath, and hoping he wouldn't be disappointed, the Captain's words came out in a hurried rush. "What do you know about pirate weddings?"

Lefty chuckled softly, before grinning broadly. "Ah, so that's what has you looking so nervous. Don't be, kid. There's actually a lot of different traditions, varies from culture to culture. But the most common type of pirate wedding is one I've attended a few times in my lifetime, so you're in luck. You got a ring yet?"

"Hoping to get one today," Kai answered, looking a little more relaxed. "Then I'll just wait for the right time to ask. But what exactly―how does the ceremony go, though?"

"Well, typically when saying the vows ―you can go the church-y route or write your own, doesn't matter― the couple in question give each other rings but also hold each other's weapons, whatever those may be. Putting each other's protection in each other's hands, y'see? There's a traditional song and dance, too, but that's fairly simple. You and Jinora would practice beforehand, not with each other though. Seeing how well the couple dances together when they dance for the first time is said to tell the fate of the marriage, so you two'll be just fine."

"A dance?" Kai's brow furrowed. "So, we sing?"

"A duet," Lefty confirmed. "Simple melody, beautiful lyrics. Bansi probably knows how to play it, come to think of it. You'll get the hang of it." Catching the look on Kai's face, Lefty chuckled again. "Ah c'mon Cap, you sing during music nights, don'tcha?"

"Well yeah," Kai rubbed the back of his neck. "But that's like, when everyone's singing. It's different." Then again, Kai supposed it would be different on his wedding day too. He smiled faintly. "Thanks Lefty. I'll tell you first, after I ask her―or you'll be second at least. Yung might come first."

Lefty beamed at him. "The man deserves it, after all the work he put into you two."

"Yeah." Kai's smile grew. "I guess he does."

* * *

The streets of Tong Gong were unlike anything Jinora had seen. Most of the ports they went to were so divided, like Republic City: there was a gleaming, upper class part of the city, and a shadier, mid-to-lower class part where trading that was both legal and illegal took part. The latter was the part she had gotten used to frequenting after years of not sparing a thought to it. The streets were far more mixed, those obviously rich and poor mingling. There was some underhand deals she had caught a glimpse of in an alleyway two stores back, but Jinora felt like for once, the live she had led and the one she had now was somehow being reconciled through the city. Both sides could co-exist. It gave her hope for her father eventually accepting her relationship with Kai.

Still, she knew that thieves and pickpockets were likely everywhere, so Jinora stayed close to Lefty and Imaru. They passed through the busiest part of the market, where the everyday shopping for food and clothing took place, to the more esteemed stores, like those set aside for only the finest jewelry. As the street cleared, the path they were on veered out closer to the shore, quaint little shops neatly aligned with a wide-set, organized stone road in between them and the sea.

Now that the noise had died down, Jinora concentrated on the calling of gulls flying overhead, spotting a few messenger hawks among them, and the waves lapping against the shore, and the quiet thud of Lefty's wooden leg against the stone street. Not for the first time, she wondered how it had happened. She had never asked, because it had never seemed polite, and then later it seemed like a sore subject for Kai yet not a prominent one at the same time. Her boyfriend had said he would tell her later, and she suspected that Kai held much more grief towards the event than the actual amputee.

"Lefty," she said slowly, "how did you lose your leg?"

Lefty paused for a moment. "It happened a few months after Skoochy the crew, so around 4 years now. Back then we still did a little bit of business with the Dai Li, but the incident with Quil's men had happened around 6 months before and Kai was still recovering from it, so when it turned out the Dai Li had started getting involved with the slave trade, well, he wasn't none too happy. He flipped Long Feng out, that's part of the reason why there's bad blood between them and us. We had a fight on deck, Kai and I were fighting back to back when he got stabbed in the side and went down, just a bit. I got a little distracted by that, and everything else that was goin' on, and well, all it took was one clean swipe. Longshot couldn't salvage what was left, so he cleaned it off to save my life."

"So Captain blames himself for it," Imaru finished, clapping Lefty on the back. "No matter how many times we all told him it wasn't his fault."

Jinora smiled humourlessly. "Of course he does." As if Kai didn't have enough guilt for things that weren't his fault. Well, now at least she knew why he had been a little upset, and in made sense in the way that was nothing but classic Kai.

They finally reached one of the first jewelry stores, _Janni's Jewels and Gems,_ and Jinora peered into the window. Necklaces and bracelets were spread out behind the first, the next an assortment of rings. The sign in the second window said that apparently the rings in question were wedding and engagement rings, glittering in the midday sun.

Lefty smiled to himself.

* * *

Kai had meant to find a ring, not a kitten.

He had dragged Yung along with him, needing a second opinion, and knowing that his first made would agree to tag along. Besides, in most cases, Yung was pretty good at keeping a secret. And at keeping him calm. Money was something that was always pressing in on his mind ―feeding a crew of 25 men along with medicine, supplies, and ship upkeep was no easy task― but he very rarely found himself frustrated with his lack of it. This was one of those times.

All of the rings he had seen so far that seemed to suit Jinora, or ones that she would like, were far too expensive. The rest that fell within his price range were either too clunky or not good enough, and Jinora...Jinora deserved the best he could give.

"She'll love whatever you get her, you know that right?" Yung said tiredly, after they had left their fifth store.

Kai ran a hand through his hair, throwing Yung a sharp look. "You don't―" Yung raised his eyebrows and Kai's annoyance faded and he shut his mouth. Taking his frustration out on Yung was pointless and unwarranted. "Sorry, I just―I just want it to be perfect, y'know?"

Yung placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know kiddo," he said gently, as they headed back down the street. "Here's a suggestion, I actually have something that may fix your problem, back at the ship, so why don't we head back and then give this hunt another shot tomorrow, hmm?"

"We should probably head back for lunch anyway," Kai shrugged. Around half of the crew drifted back to their ship whenever they were at ports for lunch. The rest stayed out trying other restaurants or food, or too caught up in whatever work they were doing, in which case Daw made sure to set something aside for them.

The two pirates took a shortcut through a back-end alleyway, making a sharp left turn when Kai heard a very distinct, " _Meow_."

Kai turned around, and then looked down to find the source of the noise. A cardboard box had been set against the brick alleyway of one the buildings, and inside, staring up mournfully, was a kitten. A greyish coloured tabby cat, if Kai had guessed the breed completely. Unable to help himself, Kai tentatively reached out for the little creature.

"Hey there kitty," he grinned. The kitten hesitantly approached his steady fingers, and then licked at them. "Yeah, that's it." Not for the first time, Kai wondered why animals always seemed to like him more than people did, at least at first. "Alright, I'm just gonna pick you up and take a look at you, okay?"

"Kai, you know that it can't actually understand you, right?" That was Yung, his arms crossed over his chest, but he sounded amused anyway.

"Shush," Kai didn't take his eyes away from the kitten, instead scooping it up out of the box and cradling it close to his chest. It was so tiny it could fit in just one hand. "Where'd you come from, kitty?" He said, his other hand reaching up scratch behind its ears. "Your owners leave you? Your mama and papa?" He frowned as the kitten let out a little purr.

They had had a cat on the ship before, back when he was younger, named Whiskers to help deal with a mouse problem, initially. The old fat cat had passed away at a ripe old age when Kai was thirteen, and they had never had a reason to get a cat again under Zaheer. Kai had been too busy dealing with other issues, both personally and for his crew, to think of getting another one. And their crew had grown over the last five years as well.

But taking home this kitten couldn't hurt, could it?

"We're keeping it," Kai said decidedly, the budget be damned. He hated the idea of leaving this poor little thing at a big scary shelter. What if the other cats were mean to it? Or no one wanted to adopt it? He held the kitten out towards Yung slightly, still keeping it close to his chest. "Quick, check if it's a boy or a girl or whatever."

"Kai―" Yung began, but seeing Kai's stubborn frown, he sighed and directed his gaze towards the cat. "Honestly, the things I do for you..." he muttered. "Why can't you check?"

"I'm keeping it calm," Kai said, one of his fingers lightly scratching under the cat's chin. Yung sighed again, and then looked back up at Kai. "Well?" the Captain said expectantly.

"Girl," Yung frowned.

Kai hummed happily. "Well Gyatso won't be so outnumbered anymore, at least."

Yung's frown lifted into a smile. "So, you're taking in a stray?"

"I'm pulling a you," Kai corrected him. "I was a stray kid, this is a stray kitten. Not that different, really."

"I'm just hoping this little lady won't be as much trouble as you were," Yung grinned. Kai smiled back at him.

"Yeah, me too."

* * *

Within seconds of foot onboard (or rather, being carried onto the _Waterbender_ by Kai) the kitten had won them all over with a soft, curious, "Meow."

"She's adorable!" Momo squealed, his face scrunched up in excitement.

"She is our newest recruit," Kai announced happily. Momo looked so happy Kai thought he might start crying. "I found her in a cardboard box, and it felt wrong just leaving her there, and we haven't had cat in years, so...Say hello everyone."

"She'll need a collar," Otaku said, peering curiously at the cat behind his glasses. "Cat food's cheap, and so is a litter box, so we'll be fine. Longshot, what do you know about caring for animals?"

"Sea witches often had cats," Longshot answered. "Even if it's been awhile since Whiskers."

"I can sew a collar!" Imaru offered. "Make a cushion for a bed, too. Or she can sleep on one of our beds in the night."

"What d'you think Gyatso?" Kai grinned at his girlfriend. "Glad not to be the only girl on the ship?"

Jinora chuckled softly, reaching over and gently petting the kitten on the head, electing a soft purr. "I think it'll be wonderful, although you seem to be enjoying this more than I am, Captain. You're such a softie," she grinned, while Kai pouted. "Come on, big ruthless pirate Captain, you can't fool us." She gathered the kitten into her hands, the animal's doe eyes wide and bright as they both looked at Kai, whose frown faded. "Although, since this little lady will be staying with us, she'll need a name."

Not wanting 24 men to start shouting out answers, Kai raised his voice. "Everyone think of a few names and then we'll share them at dinner and vote on it."

He figured the best place for their nameless kitten to stay was with one of the crew members on cat duty, and gave the task to Momo and Pabu. Even if in some way Momo managed to mess up cat-sitting a kitten that could barely take a few steps without napping, he was sure Pabu would be able to keep things under control. The two made a good team, as a couple and as friends.

After lunch, during which Jinora had told him all about the jewelry she and Imaru and Lefty had seen, her smile was bright as any jewel, Kai hummed happily as Yung dragged him over to the sleeping quarters. Yung's bed, with rails set above like everyone else's, shabby brown curtains pulled back, with a trunk set at the end of it. The trunk was battered and worn, as Yung had had it for nearly twenty-five years, ever since joining the _Waterbender_. Yung undid the latch and flipped open the lid.

Inside mostly was clothes, a stack of shirts, a few of which with old stains that looked suspiciously like beer, along with extra pants and socks and undergarments (the latter Kai really didn't need to see). Tucked underneath some rolled up socks was a small box, a worn wooden one Kai knew held some of Yung's more personal belongings. But what did this have to do with ring shopping?

Yung sat on his bed and Kai uncertainly took a seat next to him as the first mate set the box in his lap and then opened it. He took out a few black-and-white photos: one was of him and his father, who bore a striking resemblance to Yung in his adulthood, standing next to the water. Another was a wedding photo of Yung's parents, and then a family portrait when Yung had been a child, before his mother had passed away. As the only child of his deceased parents, Yung had inherited nearly everything from both of them, some of his father's possessions going to his father's brother, but that was about it.

Kai noticed Yung's eyes growing watery, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You okay?" he said softly.

Yung sniffled, and then his eyes crinkled as he smiled. "Fine. Just haven't looked at these in a while, that's all..." Yung placed a hand over his. "Thanks kiddo."

Kai shrugged. "No problem...I've met your Uncle, haven't I?"

"A few times," Yung said, smiling. "He doesn't look too much like me though, took after the other side of the family. But my family's not why we're here―well, it sort of it is, 'cause it's about you, but..." Yung lifted a few more things out of the box, like a very tiny box of velvet that Kai assumed held Yung's parents wedding rings, and a ripped ticket from some kind of train or boat, crumpled and yellowed with age. Underneath all that was a thick wad of bills, with another photo resting underneath it, but the white back was facing him instead of the actual photograph.

"I didn't know you had all this," Kai said quietly, as Yung took out the money.

"I made half from work and the other half I inherited from my father after he passed," Yung said. "Saved it for a rainy day, or other special occasions. Gave it away to the ship's budget more than a few times." Yung divided the bills into two piles, one much larger than the other. Yung put the larger stack back into its hiding spot, and then picked up the other half. It was small, but still a decent amount of money. "This," Yung smiled, "is for you."

Kai's eyes widened. "What? No! Yung, you can't―"

"I can," Yung said gently. "And I will. It's not much, only $300, but it'll help you afford some of those better rings. And what d'you think I set this money aside for, anyway? I've been saving it for you."

"Me? W-what about your uncle and cousin?" Kai spluttered.

Yung squeezed Kai's hand. "You're my family, kiddo. I want to know you have something to fall back on if anything ever happened to me."

A lump formed in Kai's throat. "Nothing is going to happen to you. You're―you're going to fine. You're going to die a fat old happy man."

Yung smiled sadly. "That's something you can't control, kiddo. We have an 18 year difference, it's gonna catch up to us one of these days."

"Yung..." Kai stared at the floor, the lump making it harder to breathe.

"Cheer up kid, we still got a while before it does," Yung said. "Now, you're taking this," Yung waved the wad of bills in his hand, "and you're going to get Jinora the perfect ring, and you're going to stop stressing about it, understand?" Yung stared hard at him when Kai didn't look up at the floor, the Captain's frown only deepening. "Kai?"

Kai suddenly looked up and hugged him, wrapping his arms tightly around his first mate. "Don't leave me." His voice was thick with tears. "I just―I can't―" The panic of seeing Yung get hurt, stabbed or even just ill made him feel sick with helplessness. Kai's fingers curled into the fabric of Yung's shirt as he bowed his head, his eyes stinging. "Just don't leave me."

Yung ruffled Kai's hair, hugging him back tightly. "I won't kiddo, I promise. You've stuck with me for 14 years and that's not changing anytime soon if either of us have a say in it, promise."

Kai took a deep shaky breath, and once they broke apart, reached up to wipe his eyes, a lone tear trickling down his cheek. That, Yung knew, spoke volumes. "You've barely ever cried in front of me," Yung said softly. "But you can, y'know. It's alright."

Kai smiled a little when Yung brushed the tear away. "I'm trying."

Yung smiled back at him. "All I've asked you to do." Yung took his hand and pushed the bills into it. "Now, go get your girl a ring."

Kai laughed slightly, his hand still reluctant to take the money, but he slipped it into his pocket anyway. "Alright."

He found the ring after another five stores, and stowed it away somewhere he knew Jinora wouldn't find it beforehand. He had only ended up using $100 of Yung's gifted money, and planned on slipping it back into Yung's trunk when he got the chance, a spring in his step as he walked back to his ship. Maybe things really were looking up.

Or, maybe not, since somehow their kitten had been named Mouse. It was (to no one's surprise) Momo's fault for letting the word slip, and well, now the cat wouldn't respond to anything else.

"Odd lil' beastie," Lefty said, Mouse curling up in his lap at dinner. Imaru had already started working on a collar, hoping to embroider the name onto it, and they had just accepted the irony of having a cat named after its natural prey.

"I guess she fits right in, then," Kai said happily, looking around at his crew. A murmur of agreement ran through them, and the _Waterbender_ sailed through the waves, and everything was for once, as it should be.

* * *

They had been out at sea for a week and a half when it started to rain. Rain wasn't exactly an uncommon occurrence, and the past week had been a peaceful one in comparison to the weekend Jinora had endured with her family. The crew had gone with their chores (she herself had done both cooking and mopping the deck) and with their lives.

The overall trading at Tong Gong had been a success and they were sailing a few day's journey to Yun Ho with more gold lining their pockets and still a few crates of jewelry stowed away in _The Waterbender_ 's large storage room.

If anything, the soft pitter patter of rain felt like the universe just giving her one more little perfection to enjoy. The crew hastily headed below decks, crowding in the narrow hallway, when Kai stuck out his hand and grinned. "It's warm rain."

"And that means?" Jinora asked curiously, letting out a shriek when Kai took her hand and pulled her out into it. "Captain, what are you doing?!"

"Playing in the rain Gyatso!" Kai shot her an absolute shit-eating grin, and she glared at him, her hair quickly being plastered to her face.

"I'm going to kill you," she glowered.

"Have to catch me first."

Jinora growled and then ran after him, nearly slipping on the deck as the water seeped into the wood. Grinning, Yung looked back at the rest of his men, huddled together in the crowded hallway. "What do you think?"

"Means a lotta laundry," Longshot said. "But no colds."

"Who's on laundry this week anyway?" Lefty asked, Mouse's furry grey head sticking up curiously from his shirt pocket from where she had been napping.

"Ryu."

"Ah, who cares then," Lefty shrugged, and stumbled out into the rain.

"Hey!" Ryu said indignantly, but he couldn't stop the rest of the crew from going out into the rain with big grins on their faces. Their Captain and Jinora had given up on their game of case, Kai having pulled her close and kissed her softly on the mouth, before he offered her a hand.

"Bansi, a little help?" Kai asked, and the musician pulled out his flute and started playing a tune. Kai placed a hand on Jinora's waist and the rest of the crew paired up, Momo and Pabu laughing so much they could barely dance straight. Even a still grumpy looking Ryu had been pulled out into the fun, as Kai and Jinora danced together to a haphazard melody punctuated with more laughter than any real rhythm.

"Still going to kill me?" Kai smirked.

Jinora rolled her eyes. "I'm debating it."

"Nah, you like me too much."

"Well," Jinora tried not to smile. "Someone's very full of himself."

"What can I say?" Kai stepped away to expertly twirl her before bringing her back into his arms. Maybe their wedding dance would go perfectly fine. The weight of the ring in his pocket (he had carried it around every day, not having yet found the right moment) seemed to lighten somehow. "I'm, in your own words, an arrogant bastard."

"You're also the love of my life," Jinora poked him in the chest.

Kai beamed at her. "I think I prefer the first one."

Jinora laughed. "You're unbelievable, that's what you are."

He brushed some of her wet hair out of her face. "You're pretty unbelievable yourself."

"Just shut up and kiss me," she said happily, and he was more than happy to oblige.

* * *

At the mention of anything to do with the word "period" Kai became a helpless, blushing mess. Jinora supposed it made sense. He had, for many years, been raised by 24 men with little to no interaction with women. She had learned not to bring it up often, although he did try to be helpful and sympathetic when she was having cramps, even if he was thoroughly grossed out as to why she was having them.

She prepared herself for it when she announced to him, one morning when they had lounged around in bed and gotten dressed (and partially undressed) with each other, "My period's late."

Kai froze in tying his sword belt around his hips. "And―and it shouldn't be?" he asked nervously, red creeping over his face and tinging his ears.

Jinora shook her head. "No. The birth control potion Longshot brews for us keeps it on track so...Well, I think I might know why I was feeling sick the other week. Nothing bad," Jinora said quickly, catching the look on his face. "But I want to confirm it with Longshot, and you should be there."

"As long as it's nothing bad," Kai said, finishing up with his belt and walking over to wrap his arms around her. He leaned in to kiss her briefly. "When you wanna talk to him?" Since the _Waterbender_ was currently out at sea, with even the curves of the Gold Coast out of sight, they had all the time they wanted to do things onboard the ship.

"This afternoon, I think, after lunch."

"Alright then."

Jinora had promised it was nothing bad, but Kai couldn't help but worry a little. Jinora hadn't feel woozy or ill since, but that didn't mean there couldn't be something. Early spring, when winter was still melting away, was one of the most common times for colds.

Kai felt like he was missing a piece of the puzzle, however, when upon learning Jinora's symptoms, Longshot requested her for to pee into a little vial. What was happening? It got even weirder when Jinora's urine was mixed with some kind of sea witch concoction, and then glowed for a moment, before turning a pure, strong gold.

Jinora's eyes widened, but Longshot simply smiled as she and Kai sat down in some nearby chairs, her hand tightly gripping his. "It's not a cold," Jinora said, seeing Kai's confused look, but it sounded like she was having trouble getting the words out. "Or any kind of illness."

Kai's brow furrowed. "Then what―?"

Jinora looked to Longshot. "Can you...?"

The medic cleared his throat. "Jinora's pregnant."


	11. The Baby

**Compass**

* * *

Chapter Eleven:  
The Baby

* * *

"What?" Kai gaped at him, his jaw slack and his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. "What? I don't―but we use protection―"

"Most of the time," Jinora corrected him, her voice quiet. Her head was bowed, her short loose hair falling around her face like a curtain, hiding her face so he couldn't gauge her reaction. It made him feel strangely alone, even if she was the one carrying a baby― _their_ baby.

Kai fought to close his mouth, his throat going dry. How had this happened? Sure, he wouldn't mind having kids, and if he was going to have a family than Jinora was the only one he wanted it with but...not now. Not so soon. He...he needed more time. To pull himself together and stitch up the broken parts of himself. In another five years, maybe. Not now. A lump got lodged in his throat and he struggled to swallow.

"How far along?" he managed out. "In the pregnancy?"

"Judging by the colour, a week short of two months," Longshot answered. "The baby is growing along at the normal, healthy rate. The baby bump will start showing in another two months, as since this is Jinora's first pregnancy, it tends to show up later on."

Kai ran a hand through his hair. "God..."

He felt Jinora's warm fingers on his arm, and looked up at her, seeing her eyes were slightly glassy. "You're not upset are you?" her voice quavered.

"No," Kai said immediately, taking her hand and meeting her worried eyes. "No I'm just―surprised? Trying to figure out exactly what I feel. You know it's never been a strong suit of mine. But I'm not upset. Promise." He squeezed her hand, smiling weakly yet genuinely. "Just, Longshot? Give us a minute?"

The medic smiled slightly. "Of course, Captain." He closed the infirmary door quietly behind him.

Kai turned back to Jinora, stroking his thumb along the back of her hand. "It's nothing bad," he said softly, and Jinora's face broke into a smile. "God, we―we're having a baby. Two months already. That's...crazy. And wonderful. God, I'm not saying this right―"

"You're saying it perfectly, Captain," Jinora smiled, squeezing his hand. "Honestly, I'm pretty shocked too...I thought it would be a few years before..."

"Me too," Kai said, letting go of her hand to wrap his arm around her waist. Jinora leaned into his side. "We're young. Like really young. I don't know a thing about babies, you might know a little 'cause of Rohan but―oh shit, your dad's gonna kill me." Kai ran a hand through his hair again, taking a deep breath. He could feel panic threatening to overtake him―not because of Tenzin, but out of his own failures, his own lack of experience, lack of a role model―he quickly pushed the latter away, knowing it wasn't fair to Yung. But how much did you inherit from your parents anyway? How much was inescapable?

"Don't go down that road." Jinora's voice was quiet but full of understanding, one of her hands cupping the side of his face, making him look at her. "Don't."

Kai frowned at her. "It's not that easy―"

"Then let me help you," Jinora said softly, taking his other hand out of his hair, giving it a squeeze.

Kai took a moment to answer. "Okay..." He shook his head slightly and smiled at her. "We're having a baby."

Jinora rested her forehead against his. "We're having a baby." Jinora's fingers curled slightly against his cheek, as she smiled back at him. At this beautiful, wonderful man, whose child she was now carrying, who she loved more than anything. "Oh my God." Tears sprang to her eyes.

"Hey―" Kai's eyes grew wide with momentary panic as he reached up to wipe away her tears, and Jinora, laughing, helped him. Kai smiled a little. "Happy tears?"

She nodded. "Happy tears. Nervous tears, too. But mostly happy."

A grin broke over his face out of relief. "Good. Me too ―I mean, I'm happy and nervous and excited and well, we'll figure this out together right?"

"Right." She pressed her upturned lips to his, one of her hands resting on the back of his neck. She pulled away and rested her forehead against his, giggling a little as one of his hands went to her still flat stomach. "Captain, I don't think anything is going to happen―"

"I know," Kai said, his smile softening. "Just...that's our baby."

Jinora placed a hand over his. "Ours."

Kai leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Want to make another one?"

She giggled and shoved him away, her hands resting over his chest as he smirked at her, a blush colouring her cheeks. "You know it doesn't work like that."

Kai placed a hand on her waist. "Is that a no?"

She smiled fondly at him. "Here? Yes. Our room? Hell no."

Kai scooped her up into his arms, her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. The hallway was empty as they headed over to their quarters (Longshot must have gone to the dining hall or up on deck for some reason or the other) and Kai hastily opened his door.

"Perfect."

* * *

In the end, she and Kai decided to do what Longshot had advised, and wait a few weeks to tell the crew. The most common time for miscarriages was within the first three months, and while the medic doubted it would happen, it would be better not to have everyone happy and excited, only to then have to reveal that they had lost the baby. It was part of the reason they had also decided to put off telling her family, or at least waiting so they could tell them in person, although Kai thought that they both just wanted to put off the shouting match that would surely erupt between her and her father.

Daw knew, or at least suspected, because Jinora had had to tell him she would no longer be drinking any alcohol (not that she ever drank anything strong; in the almost 11 months Kai had known her, he had seen her drunk a total of 3 times). Jinora had also said that Kai could tell Yung about the baby, whenever he felt ready to do so. Kai also knew he would have to tell Otaku so they could start working with the budget as soon as possible to figure out how they were going to pay for everything; having a kid was expensive after all. Baby clothes, diapers, furniture, maternity wear for Jinora, more diapers, baby food, making sure the ship was safe, but what about during raids how would they keep their child safe then and―

Jinora pulled him out of it whenever he started going under, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze. They'd figure this out, just like he had said, _together._

And so, for the most part, the next week went on as normal. Chores were completed and complained about; Daw made cookies but locked them away (thank God for Tyyo and Skoochy's combined thievery and lock-picking skills); Kai was finally starting to see some progress when it came to sword fighting with Momo, which made Appa very relieved as well; Longshot fussed over Skoochy's back just to make sure the damage from the whipping was healing over properly; Kai had received an excited letter from Rohan ("The bullies are scared of me now, and I'm getting a new telescope so I'll get to see more stars! I also think I might take up fencing like Jinora, that has a little to do with pirate sword fighting right?") and was trying to answer it to the best of his ability; and finally, Imaru had finished making a collar and was now doing some flowery embroidery for the name.

As for their cat, the crew had learned that Mouse's speciality was falling asleep just about anywhere. She fell asleep in their sock drawers when they left them open too long, or on their beds, or on the deck stretched out in the sunlight in the exact area that they needed to mop. All she did was drink milk, look adorable, and nap; so, in other words, she was perfect. She had taken to all of them, especially Lefty, Momo, and Kai, which none of them minded.

Pabu had taken a few photos of her and had gotten them printed out at Yun Ho (business at been booming at the city, and now they were on their way to En-An to visit Daw's family) so he could start assembling some kind of scrapbook. "For all of us," the photographer had said. He had made sure to keep the pictures of LingShi Chow's vandalized house, planning on including those as well.

A newspaper came out on the day before they had reached En-An, boring the headline: _Chow Puts Price On Pirate's Head._ Underneath was a picture of LingShi Chow, his dark curls disheveled and his dark eyes narrowed in anger, while a worker in the background worked on cleaning the red paint off his door.

 _On Sunday of last week, the Chow household was vandalized by a group of people known was the crew of_ The Waterbender _, headed by their Captain Kai, who was strangely absent during the vandalization. Although always a known name, due to his defeat of the prestigious swordsman Zaheer Shaw of_ the Red Lotus _, he is now most well known for his love affair with Governor Tenzin's eldest daughter, Jinora Gyatso. The woman in question was Chow's fiancee before her abrupt turnaround as a pirate's whore. Chow has no doubt in his mind that the events are linked. "He may not have there but it's definitely his style. He accosted me in the street, once, threatened to kill me." That is the reason why Chow has put forward a large sum_ ― _$20,000 yuans_ ― _for his capture. If anyone wishes to put forward information or details of his and his crew's whereabouts, please contact either the Chow website or this number..._

Jinora's face paled. "That doesn't sound good."

Kai frowned at LingShi's picture ("Didn't mention that he was assaulting her at the time," he grumbled under his breath), but then smiled, and even had the nerve to laugh. "Don't worry about it Gyatso. He's not the first man to put a price on my head."

Jinora scowled at him. "Don't laugh, this is serious. He has an uncle-in-law that's a lawyer, and is one of the richest families in the Earth Kingdom. He has a lot of connections―"

"And I have a lot of sharp pointy swords," Kai said, leaning in and still grinning.

Jinora's eyes hardened. "Fine, if you want to joke about your safety, go ahead―"

Kai's smile faded. "I'm not joking, I'm just―"

"Yes you are!" Jinora snapped. "That's a lot of money, do you know what people would do for that?"

"Yes," Kai said testily. "Kill, cheat, blackmail―kidnap someone for ransom for half of that." Jinora's bottom lip trembled. "Like you said, I have a much better understanding of poverty."

"You're an ass," she spat, and stood up angrily from the table and stormed out of the dining hall. Kai sighed and ran a hand through his hair, and then got up and followed her, which he would have done even without knowing some of his men were watching him.

"Gyatso?" he called after her retreating back in the hallway.

She whirled around to face him, eyes flashing. "Yes?" she glowered at him in a way that, after all this time, he really should have been used to.

"Don't give me that look," he said, his voice softening.

The creases in Jinora's brow became less pronounced. "What look?"

"That look when you're not really pissed off at me but you're trying to be." He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her towards him, and she didn't resist, sighing instead and resting her face against his chest. "I'm sorry okay?" he murmured into her hair. "I should have handled that better."

"I shouldn't have snapped at you," she sighed again. "Think it's too early to blame it on hormones?"

"Just a little," Kai pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I'll take it seriously, okay? I will. I just don't want you to worry."

"Whenever LingShi is mentioned, I'm always going to worry," Jinora said softly, holding him tighter. "Be careful, okay?" She thought of Long Feng's dagger, the sirens, the fire, his fight with Zaheer. All of the scars littered across his body. The darkness that clouded his mind, or tried to, at least. His nightmares.

Jinora had been aware long before the start of their romantic relationship that she had fallen in love with someone who held a lot of pain in their heart. She only hoped she could lessen it, somehow.

"'Course," Kai said gently. "I have you to come back to, don't I?" He pulled away to look into her face. "And our baby."

"I'm going to hold you to that," Jinora murmured, before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him deeply. Kai's arm around her waist tightened. "I'm sorry for storming off," she said once they broke apart.

"Don't be," Kai said, the tip of his nose pressing into hers. "We worked it out. That's what matters."

Jinora smiled. "I guess you're right." She pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Let's go back to the dining hall. We have work to do."

They walked back into the dining hall hand-in-hand.

* * *

Jinora had liked Daw's family, during the brief time they had spent together over the winter holidays. His elderly parents are nice, and always very gracious towards Kai and the rest of them, while Daw's younger sisters and brother filled him in on what was happening in their and their children's lives. Daw, she knew, would never go down that road. After asking him once, he had simply said he wasn't attracted to anyone in that way, whether romantically or sexually, and it suited him just fine. The cook was one of the older crew members after all, along with Appa (who had always been too dedicated to his sister, being a single mother, and Momo to think about settling down), Lefty (who had always enjoyed the inconsistency of a life at sea) and finally Yung.

Yung, oddly enough, never shared too much about his life before _The Waterbender_ , which wasn't exactly uncommon. When your life was defined by poverty, or the streets, or some other god-awful hellhole that her boys had escaped, it wasn't exactly something you wanted to discuss. Still, from little she knew, he had a fairly happy childhood, even after his mother had passed away, by sailing the seas with his dad.

"Did Yung ever think about having a family?" Jinora asked Kai in their room that night, as they got into bed together. She supposed she'd been thinking about families more now than she and Kai were inadvertently going to start their own.

Kai rolled onto his side to look at her, dim candlelight cast over the faces from the candle sitting on their bedside table. "Maybe. But he doesn't talk about it much. I think he had someone once, but he lost them somehow. I know he never expected on having kids though, so... I was definitely a surprise."

Jinora reached out to cup one side of his face. "He loves you a lot, you know."

Kai smiled slightly. "I know. I don't know what I did to deserve but...I just wish I was better, at―I dunno, paying him back, I guess. Once I came into the picture he gave up whatever hopes of having a family he did have. Not many women are going to want to take on a 10-year-old with trust issues, after all..."

"Yung didn't―doesn't, see it that way," Jinora said. "We didn't plan on becoming pregnant, and I know you're stressing about it, but, you'd never see our child as a burden, would you?"

"No," Kai said immediately. "I―I'm thinking of telling Yung, soon. About my parents."

"I can be there, if you want me to be," Jinora offered, but Kai shook his head.

"Nah. I need to do this on my own. He deserves that much, at least, after all this time. And I know he won't think less of me, he's probably suspected some of it for a while, but...it's still not easy to talk about," Kai managed out.

"I think that makes it all the more important to talk about," Jinora said softly, stifling a yawn. "Will you tell him about the baby, too?"

"Yeah." A trace of a smile played across Kai's lips. "How are you feeling about that? Anymore nausea?"

Jinora shook her head 'no'. "I feel fine. Tired, but fine."

"Let's get to sleep then," Kai said with a soft smile. He leaned over and pecked her on the lips before rolling over onto the opposite side to blow out the candle.

It was in the morning, however, that Kai received a peculiar letter. He recognized the Governor's handwriting, as over the past six months Tenzin had often sent letters to his daughter. The peculiar thing was, well, it was addressed to _him_. "What would your dad want to speak to me privately about?" he asked Jinora, looking curiously at the envelope in his hands while he and the rest of the crew were standing up on deck. Daw was saying goodbye to his family, giving his parents one last extra hug.

Jinora shrugged. "I'm not sure," she bit down on her bottom lip. "Maybe it has something to do with his inquiry into your birth records?"

"Maybe..." The envelope felt suddenly heavy in his hands, as Ryu and Imaru set to work with pulling back the plank once Daw's family was safely on dry land again, while Appa and Nidhi hoisted the anchor. "I'm not sure I'll be able to make out all the words."

"I'll help you," Jinora said.

"And I need to go over the budget with Otaku this afternoon too," Kai said, trailing off absentmindedly, scratching at his chin. "And write back to your brother, and―"

"And we'll be out at sea for the next few days so you have plenty of time to do all those things," Jinora finished for him, laying a hand on his arm. "Relax, Captain. Don't stress yourself out over nothing. I'm sure my father's letter doesn't have any bad news, either."

Kai ran his free hand through his hair. "I just don't want to get my hopes up, and then..." After all these years, he had resigned himself to the fact that he would never know his parent's names or occupations; he would never be sure his name was even his real one; he would never know his birthday, or exactly where he was born. And he had accepted it. But now, to suddenly have the information possibly within his reach ―it would be a strong disappointment to find out it wasn't there.

"Let's go down to your room and open it in private then," Jinora suggested, already turning towards the door that led below decks, as _The Waterbender_ began to sail out of the harbour, when she caught the loving look in Kai's eyes. "What?"

"Just wondering what I did to deserve you," he said fondly.

Jinora nudged him in the side. "I ask myself the same question. Now come on, you sap. Let's see what's in that letter."

They went below decks, leaving the majority of the crew behind to work on their own chores (swabbing the deck or checking the sails, mostly) while they entered the Captain's quarters. Kai sat down on the chair next to his small desk in the room, and opened up the letter, and was immediately thankful that the Governor's handwriting was so neat as he began to read aloud.

 _Kai,_

 _I've sent out an in_ ―("Inquiry," Jinora told him gently, and Kai gave her a quick smile in thanks,) _an inquiry to the Geishou District to whether or not I would have legal right to look into your birth records. Without revealing my position as Governor, no; and you can understand, I'm sure, why I would prefer to keep this under wraps. However, APA Officers automatically have jurisdiction to anything related to a current pirate's life, as some frequent places they grew up, or for better understanding how to capture them. What I'm trying to say is that if Lee Sono came with me, then we could privately and legally look into your birth records. Under the circumstances, I wanted to check if you would agree to it before planning my trip to Geishou._

 _Regards,  
Tenzin Gyatso_

Kai's knuckles turned white at how tightly he was gripping the paper. "Huh." He set the letter on the desk, and then hunched over with his head in his hands.

"Kai?" Jinora's voice sounded very far away.

He flinched when she put a hand on his shoulder, and her brows knitted together. "Sorry, just trying to think. I―I guess I'm going to tell him to go ahead."

"You don't mind that Lee will be going to your old orphanage?" Jinora said slowly.

"I do," Kai admitted. "But if―if there is something out there, I wanna know. Even if it's just the knowing that it's nothing. I won't have to wonder anymore. Besides, I'd never be able to go back and find out for myself." A lump rose in his throat, making it hard to breathe. "I can't―I _can't_ face the head of my or―my _old_ orphanage."

Jinora pried his hands gently away from his head, and combed her finger soothingly through his hair, shushing him. "It's alright," she said softly. "You don't. You'll never have to see them again, and they'll never hurt you again, I promise... Does Yung know? What happened there?"

Closing his eyes, as if hoping that could stop the memories, Kai nodded. "Yeah," he said quietly. "He does."

Jinora planted a kiss to the top of Kai's head. "Good. Talk to him, if you don't want to, or can't, talk to me, alright?"

She didn't mind that there were some things Kai hadn't, or wouldn't share with her. It was his past, and his choice, and he had known Yung much, much longer, so it only made sense he knew pieces of Kai's pain that she didn't. As long as he opened up, and didn't crumble under the weight of his past, she didn't care who he opened up to, only that there was someone.

Numbly, Kai nodded, and then lightly wrapped his fingers around her wrists. "Thank you." He pressed a kiss to her fingers.

"Of course, Captain," she smiled softly. "So, you'll be okay?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I'll write a reply, and then we can mail it in Yuanshan and pick up Lefty's prosthetic while we're there. I'll just go confirm our route with Otaku." He pecked her on the cheek before rising from his chair, the letter in one hand and her heart in the other, and leaving the room.

Jinora wrapped her arms around herself, and sighed, looking around their room. Her eyes found the photograph of his dresser, the newest one. Before, it had held a black-and-white photograph of the crew in front of _the Waterbender_ , although that had been before she and Momo had joined, so they had retaken the picture back before winter had arrived, even the chilly wind had.

A smile blossomed on her face at the thought her boys would surely insist on taking another one once the baby was born.

* * *

Lefty, Imaru and Otaku had gone shopping for the new prosthetic during their first day in Yuanshan, even if they had turned up empty handed. The messenger hawk post there was one of the largest in the world, so it wasn't surprising when there was an influx of mail. Tyyo got six letters, each from one of his siblings, and Otaku had been sent a letter from his girlfriend Jaya in Dishow. Jinora had also received a letter from Lee Sono, and although it somewhat bothered Kai he didn't know the contents, or what Jinora was writing back, he buried it deep down ―he had no reason to be jealous. Jinora was carrying _his_ child, wasn't she? Somehow the pregnancy had made their relationship feel more permanent, and he couldn't have been happier about it.

Mouse was far unhappier about the messenger hawks, having meowed loudly on deck upon seeing the birds swooping over their ship, and swatted her tiny paws at the sky, before falling asleep underneath Otaku's desk near the steering wheel. Kai in turn, sent his short reply to Tenzin off with a messenger hawk.

The knowledge of the engagement ring in his pocket for Jinora, and then knowing she was pregnant ―Longshot had said the baby bump would show up soon, right? Then there'd be no hiding it― was something else pressing in his mind. Besides, with the exception of his parents, keeping secrets from Yung was foreign and rare, and his first-mate always found out in the end anyway.

It was time to tell Yung. About the pregnancy at least.

He found Yung going through his worn down trunk at the edge of his bed. Yung looked up at the sound of him approaching, and scratched at his goatee. "You put the money back," Yung said, sounding annoyed even if there was a slight smile on his face. Kai suspected Yung had expected him to. "Hey," Yung's smile faded, catching the look on Kai's face as the Captain sat down on his bed. "Something wrong, Cap?"

Kai shook his head, his mouth forming a small 'no' shape. "Jinora's pregnant," he said quietly, a small smile forming on his face.

Yung looked at him in surprise, but then grinned broadly. "I thought she might be," he confessed, moving to sit down next to Kai. "Otaku let something about a big budget change slip, and well, she wasn't drinking with the rest of us." He reached over and ruffled Kai's hair. "I'm glad for you kiddo, both of you."

Kai's smile grew. "Thanks, we're happy too. Like, scared but mostly happy... me, for obvious reasons, I, uh...I don't know a thing about raising a kid. And you're the best example I know, when it comes to being a parent, so..." Yung smiled softly. "Any advice?"

"It's a live and learn kind of thing," Yung said, clapping him on the back. "You're never gonna have it fully figured out, either. Even after 14 years. That's okay though. Really kiddo, you don't need my advice. You're gonna be a great father. You help take care of the crew, and your kid's gonna adore you. 'Cause you're always gonna be trying to be the person you wished you had, growing up."

"I had you," Kai said fondly. His heart felt considerably lighter. He could do this. Yung was right (like always). He placed a hand over Yung's and then went to stand up. "Thanks dad."

Kai froze, eyes going wide. "I―I mean―I didn't mean to I―" he stumbled over his words, his throat tightening.

Yung's eyes softened. "It's alright kiddo. You can call me dad if you want to, you know. I don't mind."

"No!" Kai choked out forcefully, getting to his feet. He could feel his heart pounding. "No, you're not my dad―you're not my father!" He started pacing, up and down the thin aisle in between Yung's bed and the next, running his hands through his hair. A tight weight was expanding in his chest, making it hard to breathe. _No no no, not now_ ― _I never wanted this worthless piece of shit_ ― _his mother, their eyes_ ―

"Kai," Yung said, alarmed. He placed his hands on Kai's shoulders to stop his pacing, bringing him to a halt next to the bed. "Kai, it's okay. Really, I'm not upset, I've been like a father to you, after all―"

"No you're not my father!" Kai hissed, throwing off Yung's hands. " _You will never be my father!_ " It was a struggle to yell with his throat so tight, memories and blood pounding in his brain, but somehow he managed it, his eyes stinging.

Hurt flashed across Yung's face, and he frowned. "I'm sorry for thinking otherwise, then," Yung said in a very small voice, turning away.

Kai dropped onto Yung's bed and hung his head, choking back a sob. "Yung, wait." His voice trembled, and he could feel his first mate's eyes on him. "I'm sorry. There's...there's something I should have told you a long, long time ago."

Halfway through the story of the night he had lost his mother, Kai broke down and wept. Yung immediately cradled him in his arms, even if it was much harder to do so than it had been when Kai was younger. Yung was crying too, tears dripping down his squat nose and into Kai's hair as Kai shook in his arms.

Somehow, it was harder and easier to tell the second time around. Maybe it was because this was Yung, who had stood by him through everything, cleaned up every scraped knee, taken care of him when he was sick even though such a thing was foreign to him, picked him up every time he fell, pulled him out of his bad spots. Yung had been the first person to ever show him unconditional love in his memory, and now to share the gaping hole in his heart, Kai thought maybe he was being given a piece back.

Once Kai was done, he buried his face in Yung's shirt, and the older man didn't make any complaints about Kai soaking the fabric with tears, instead rubbing soothing circles into the Captain's back. "It's okay kiddo. I got you."

"Are―are you―" Disgusted? Ashamed? Kai's shoulders were still shaking as he tried to pull himself together, but his voice still faltered.

"Everything makes more sense, now," Yung said softly. "Your dad was shit, you know that don't you? It wasn't your fault, kid. You're not worthless, you're not. Your life is worth just as much as ours. As mine."

"But―"

"No buts. Jinora tells you the same thing, I'm sure, I..." Yung sighed sadly. "I'm sorry you went through that. I'm sorry you didn't feel ready to tell me sooner."

Slowly, Kai's cries quieted to sniffles, and he pulled away slightly from Yung, his eyes bloodshot. "And you don't...?"

"I still love you kid," Yung said gently, wiping away some of Kai's tears, and then his own. Yung sniffled hard. "That's not changing. Ever."

Kai smiled shakily. "I love you too." Yung pulled him into another tight hug, and Kai wondered how he possibly could have gone so long without telling Yung what was suddenly so easy to stay. "I'm sorry I'm so shit at expressing it―"

"Nah." Yung gave him a squeeze, grinning. "You do just fine, kid."

The weight in Kai's chest loosened. "Good," he managed out, smiling tearfully. He ran a hand through his hair. "I―I haven't talked it over with Jinora yet, but..." He couldn't see any reason she'd have a problem with it; in fact she'd probably be overjoyed. "But uh, I was thinking, when the baby comes the crew'll be uncle, see, but um," Kai's smile grew. "I'd like you to be grandpa."

"I'd be honoured," Yung grinned, his eyes growing watery again.

Kai wiped at the last of his tears, smiling widely. "Okay."


	12. Geishou

**Compass**

* * *

Chapter Twelve:  
Geishou

* * *

As he and Lee walked further down the streets of Omashu, and closer to Geishou, the more Tenzin worried about what exactly they were going to find. Omashu, for the most part was a fine city, due to its superb method of transporting mail and other goods through an elaborate train system. But, like any city, it had its slums and poorer sections, and even if he was of high-society, judging by the look of discomfort on Lee's face (dealing with pirates, he frequently went into their areas of trade) he knew this was one of the worst. By the time they reached the Geishou District, the houses had been reduced to dingy little boxes or shacks. Dirty, unsupervised children played in the streets and the few parents they saw didn't seem to hold much regard for their offspring. There were stalls with brown canopies, selling shady merchandise, and a store with broken windows that was currently closed.

"So this is where he grew up," Tenzin muttered.

"There, actually," Lee corrected him, pointing to the end of the street, where there was a big grey building: the orphanage.

As they came closer, it became clear the building was deserted. The windows were empty and dark and the roof was sagging under the weight of nothing, in desperate need of repair. Even if you took away the damage, Tenzin knew it likely wouldn't have been a good place to grow up in. A wooden sign with faded writing had been nailed to the door, but, squinting, Lee managed to make it out: _Gunthra's new address_ ― _Badgermole Avenue, 1060._

"That's only a few streets away," Lee told him, so they headed off down one of the streets, made a right, then counted down the numbers until they came upon house 1060. It was made of red brick, the paint chipping on the door, but the windows were lit and smoke was rising from the chimney.

Taking a deep breath, Tenzin knocked loudly on the door. There was a sound of shuffling, and then a woman opened it, muttering angrily to herself. She was squat and slightly chubby, her scraggly brown hair pulled into a loose bun, her eyes sharp as she took in their appearance. There were no laughter lines in her face, but the creases in her brow and chin from frowning were quite pronounced.

"Well?" she snapped, placing a hand on her hip. "What the hell do you want?"

Tenzin raised his eyebrows. No one had ever spoken so rudely to him before―at least not to his face. (Politics could get dirty, after all.) "My colleague and I are looking for a woman named Gunthra."

"You're speaking to her," the woman grumbled, looking expectantly at them.

"We're here to inquire about a boy you would have had in your charge about 20 years ago for a few years," Tenzin explained. "You might not remember him, his name is Kai―"

"Oh, I remember him," Gunthra said gruffly, looking almost pleased. Tenzin's brow furrowed. "He ran off years ago, though. He's a pirate Captain now. Always knew he'd never amount to anything. Apparently some Governor's daughter ran off with him, her poor family. That's about all I know, he's never come back here―"

"We're here to look into his records," said Lee stiffly. "Birth records, hospital records. Anything along those lines. Would you happen to have anything like that?"

Gunthra scrunched up her ugly face. "Hmm. Might have a few. Police didn't want the ones if the kids had already left. Said it was a waste of space. Weren't wrong. Well, come on in I suppose. This better not take long, though."

Tenzin and Lee followed her through the door into her house. The first floor seemed to be all one room, with the kitchen opening onto where a fat, squashy-looking couch and a round little table sat. A few doors ―a closet, and then maybe a bathroom― were tucked away in the back.

Gunthra went over to a metallic filing cabinet that had a dirty pot on top, and pulled it open and started rummaging through. "Kai was in your care for around three years, correct?" Tenzin checked, standing a little away from the woman. There was something about her that made him want to stay as far away as possible, and it wasn't just her abrasive personality.

"Yeah. Was dropped off one day with a note that said his name ―around two, I think. He ran off when he was five, ungrateful little shit. His file should be here somewhere...why're you so interested anyway? I didn't think he had anybody who cared, 'cept that girl, and you're not her."

Tenzin's eyes widened. "You mean the―the Governor's daughter?"

"Nah. Another one. Came looking around a few years after he took off, they didn't look a thing alike. She was a cousin, maybe, a good few years older than him; I told her he was probably dead, and she left. The Triple Threat Triads were out for his blood, y'see. Kid had gotten himself mixed up with them, stole from them. Then some pirate ship picked him up I guess. So, why're you here?" Gunthra paused in her search to look at them suspiciously.

"I'm an APA officer, ma'am," Lee said, the last word sounding a little forced. "He...he stole from my client here," he invented.

"Makes sense," Gunthra shrugged. "He'd steal all the time, back at the orphanage. Food. He started doing it on his own ―got away with it sometimes too― but then the older boys caught on and started forcing 'im. If he failed then I didn't have to worry about beating him, since they'd take care of it. He was always such a pain."

Tenzin frowned at her as she returned her attention back to the filing cabinet, digging around with her hunched back to them, untilGunthra pulled out a file slightly yellowed from age.

"Here it is. Not much. A birth record I think, some other old papers." She opened it and quickly flipped through, her stubby fingers flicking through the dusty documents. "And there's this photo the girl dropped off when she came, and some photos taken while he was here." Gunthra handed it over to Tenzin. "His father's name isn't written down on the birth record, God only knows why, but his mother is there." Gunthra's expression soured and then brightened. "He used to cry for her, in the beginning. Wouldn't shut up. Got that beaten out of him, although the nightmares took a little more work."

Tenzin looked at her sharply. "You'd beat him for crying?" he struggled not to sound hostile. To think this woman had been in charge of taking care of children, who like Kai, many of them must have already been alone and hurting, was horrifying.

Gunthra raised one thick eyebrow. "Course. Life is hard, kids need to toughen up. Besides, what was I gonna do? His mama was dead, wasn't like I could send him back. Besides, kid was messed up before he got here."

"How so?" Tenzin asked carefully, cracking open the file in an attempt to distract himself. There was an official birth certificate, a record from the hospital, a photo with its back to him, and some kind of old newspaper article―an advertisement for the orphanage, along with a few more pieces of paper.

"Obviously I wasn't the first person to smack him in his smartass mouth," Gunthra said. "He'd never take his punishments lying down. At first, he seemed to think he was worth something, but I beat that out of him."

Tenzin's knuckles turned white. "He thought he was worthwhile and you―?"

Gunthra crossed her arms over her chest and frowned at him. "See, you rich folk can't understand it. You know who lives in the slums of Omashu? Nobodies. And the orphans who live in the slums of Omashu are even lower. They're just leftovers. Worthless. Lucky to be missed when they kick the bucket. No one ever gives a damn about them. The sooner they learn that the better."

Tenzin's brow furrowed. How _dare_ she treat any child like that? He had known that in terms of poverty, Omashu was worse than Republic City. But he had no idea it could be this bad. Why hadn't the Governor, or the police done something? Hadn't they known? Or had they just decided to sweep it under the rug because it was easier than actually dealing with the problem at hand?

"Why did he run off, though?" Lee inquired quietly.

"The older boys were beating on him to steal and he didn't want to. He pulled a knife from the kitchen on 'em...but you can imagine how that went, five against one. Money was low anyway, we didn't have enough to feed anyone, and the kids who behaved got priority." Gunthra waved her hand dismissively. "And he kept acting out, too. I locked him in the closet a few times to get him to settle down."

"So they―they turned on him with a _knife and you didn't step in_?" Tenzin hissed.

"Wasn't my problem," Gunthra glared at him. "He was the one stupid enough to do it. He shouldn't have picked a fight he couldn't win. Besides, I didn't let 'em cut him up too badly. Wasn't about to waste money on taking him to a hospital. And afterwards, he ran off and ratted me out to an APA officer and brought him back here. Luckily, Officer Jow was a good friend of mine, so it didn't amount to anything...even said he'd help me get rid of the little shit's body, if I beat him too hard. He was hardly moving at the end of it, actually, so it was a valid offer. Couldn't even cry properly no more. He ran off for good two days later, good riddance."

Lee looked stricken. Kai's reputation had always been of someone strong, young, but immensely talented. _Fights like a demon,_ another officer named Rahi had said once. _Don't listen to nobody either. No slave traders an' nuttin'._

 _Not even ones in Paradise?_ Lee had asked.

 _I think most of 'em wanna kill 'im, s'matter of fact,_ Rohi had shrugged with a toothy grin. That had been nearly four months before he had met Kai for the first time, onboard their own ships, even if the other Captain hadn't remembered it. Lee had only been Captain of his ship for a month, the previous one having retired to spend the rest of her days living peacefully in some remote Earth Kingdom town. When he had seen _The Waterbender_ sailing nearby, he had been filled with excitement. Imagine, taking down a pirate like that, so young too; it would have guaranteed an immediate promotion.

Of course, things hadn't gone exactly according to plan. As his crew had boarded the pirate ship, Lee had seen first hand that Rahi hadn't been exaggerating; the whole crew was skilled, far more so than Lee had expected somehow, but their Captain was something else entirely. The most peculiar thing about them all, however, was how hesitant they seemed to be to kill anyone. Not a single one of the pirates' blows had proven fatal, or permanently damaging. The only time Kai had seemed vicious was when Lee had engaged in a sword fight with a short, pudgy man ―the first mate, Yung, who he now knew was a kind of surrogate parent to him― and Kai had nearly taken his eye out after Lee had almost stabbed the other man. Lee had chosen to retreat shortly afterwards, but he had never run into Kai again, despite his reputation growing.

And then all of a sudden, he had heard that the Captain of _The Waterbender_ had kidnapped Governor Tenzin's daughter for ransom. Lee had wanted to go after them right away, but it wasn't within his jurisdiction, and he couldn't throw away three years of work just like that, either. Besides, his men had assured him, as far as pirates went, there were far worse than Kai. _He's too damn soft,_ another pirate had said, once Lee had hauled him to jail and demanded some answers. _Weak, y'know?_

Still, it had done nothing to change his perspective. Kai was lawless, powerful― _dangerous._ A murderer and a thief and a pirate. Invincible really, as it nothing seemed could kill him. Lee had never wondered about his life before, never even wondered beyond a quick, fleeting thought of why Kai had become Captain so young. It hadn't mattered.

Lee had never imagined Kai's upbringing had been like _this_. And if Kai's childhood had been like this, then what about the rest of his crew? The other pirates Lee had jailed?

Gunthra snorted and threw back her head. "Why're you so upset, pretty boy? Aren't you hunting him down?"

Lee stiffened. "Yes, of course." He looked to Tenzin. "I believe we've collected all the information we need."

The Governor frowned. "I do have one more question: the other children, in the orphanage, what happened to them after it was shut down?"

Gunthra rolled her eyes and went over to her fridge and pulled out a beer, taking a swig that downed nearly half the bottle. "The youngest ones were shipped into foster care or to other orphanages that weren't already overflowing. All the older kids had run off. Joined gangs or pirate crews or died in gutters God knows where." She threw them a dirty look. "Anything else you wanna waste my time with?"

"No. I think we're done here," Tenzin said coldly. "Lee, we should be going. Miss Gunthra, would you like us to return this file to you?"

Gunthra snorted again. "Was planning on using it for firewood one of these days. But I guess you can keep it, or whatever you officers do with files."

Tenzin sincerely hoped he would never have to see this horrible woman again as he and Lee headed out of her small house as fast as they could, the silence thick between them as the weight of what they had just learned began to settle heavily on their shoulders.

Then, finally, as they came back to the abandoned orphanage, Lee asked, "Do you think Jinora knows?" They came to a stop in front of the grey building, Tenzin gazing into the dark windows, picturing bruised and too-thin children's faces staring back at him.

"The details of it?" Tenzin said in an oddly tight voice. "No. No, I think he'd spare her the details...She might know a bit. But the first mate, Yung." He thought back to Yung's outburst of pain at the Gyatso mansion. "He must know...Jinora says that the Captain―that Kai is a very private person."

The folder in Tenzin's hand suddenly felt 10 times heavier. Part of him wanted to open it, a tiny spark of curiosity, but the much larger part of him didn't want to know anymore than he already did. Then again, was that fair? That he could choose not to know when Kai hadn't been able not to choose to live through it? At least what they had come for was in the file. Kai would get some answers, maybe some closure, about his parents' lives.

"I always knew there were corrupt officers," Lee said quietly. "But he―he saw how it was there, and he didn't do anything! How dare he wear the uniform?"

APA Officers were supposed to protect people, not let the abuse of children ―of anyone, continue. Not everyone abided by the rules, Lee knew. Some Officers were far too harsh, or lenient, or trigger-happy, or suck-ups to Kuvira that she quickly crushed under her boots. The rare few actually did their duty, and Lee liked to think that was the category he fell into.

"At least the orphanage is shut down now," Lee added. He sighed. "Not soon enough, though."

A silence stretched between them as they turned their back on the orphanage, and Tenzin couldn't wait to get out of Geishou, out of Omashu, as fast as possible. How could anyone want to live here was beyond him. Then again, he suspected most of the people who lived here didn't really have a choice. It was clear though, that it was a good thing when Kai got out when he did. The Captain was lucky that he survived until adulthood, even. From the way Yung spoke and how Kai acted, Tenzin highly doubted it was hardly the first time his life had been on the line.

It made him think back to that fight. He had wondered how Kai could stand it ―the wounds, the beating Zaheer had inflicted on him, while he bled out on the deck― but now Tenzin realized that beating had just been the most recent of many. Kai had had years of practice withstanding ordeals like that.

For once, in regards to Kai, Tenzin had to agree with his wife, even if it was only in sympathy: that poor boy.

He sighed heavily as he and Lee boarded the carriage that would take them out of the city.

* * *

"Dear?"

Tenzin looked up at his wife. "Hmm?"

Pema set down her cup of tea in their little breakfast nook that was usually only used for the aforementioned meal, or for days like this, when the setting sun made the waters of Yue Bay sparkle and shine. "You've seemed distracted since you got back from Geishou. Is everything alright?" She laid a hand over his. "Is it something from Kai's birth records?"

Tenzin grasped at her fingers and gave them a light squeeze, checking to make sure their servants were gone, as was their youngest son; off using his new telescope up on one of their balconies, the Governor suspected. "No, no, I haven't looked at them." And he didn't intend to, even if he wanted to know the contents inside very, very badly, it wasn't his information to know. Even if he was technically Kai's future father-in-law, as reluctant as he was to admit it. Besides, Kai and his first mate Yung had made it very clear how they felt about people digging up the Captain's past.

"Everything's alright," he continued. "It's just...the head of the old orphanage, a woman named Gunthra―she was particularly disconcerting."

Pema pursed her lips. "How so?"

"She was very cruel. An understatement, actually. I thought," Tenzin stroked his beard. "I thought I was prepared for what I would find. But I wasn't. She was abusive― _very_ abusive, towards the children..." As always, he struggled a little when it came to saying the actual name of his daughter's lover. "Kai especially. It worries me, naturally, for a number of reasons..."

Pema's brow furrowed. "What kind of reasons?" she said softly.

"That I didn't realize it beforehand, mostly," Tenzin confessed. "I knew that things could be bad, at orphanages, but I didn't know it could be..." he swallowed. "And yet, when I first met him, he―he did seem upset, but that must have been about Jinora, but looking at him, I never would have thought he had been through something like that."

"I think that's the mark of how far he's come, then," Pema said after a long silence. "It may not be how our crowd values success, but considering where he came from, he's built something more than worthwhile."

"Or it shows how ignorant we really are of the signs," Tenzin said, sighing heavily. "I just―I want Jinora to have the easiest life possible. And falling in love with a pirate who carries a lot of pain, that can't be easy―"

Pema squeezed his hand, her eyes meeting his across the table. "The most worthwhile things in life are never easy. When you were gone," Pema smiled dryly, "off doing 'paperwork', he was far more relaxed. Sweet even, and very caring. I'm sure he's aware of how to help Jinora handle his past―why else do you think he hadn't told her about that incident with Quil's men? He's trying to spare her."

"I just hope he succeeds," Tenzin said gravely.

"I don't," Pema replied in a steady voice. Her husband looked at her in surprise. "You can't keep secrets from your partner if you want the relationship to work. And you can't heal unless you're willing to open up. It's for the best, for both of them..." A slight smile formed on her face. "She's happier around him, Tenzin. She is."

"I believe you," Tenzin said, and then sighed again, stroking his beard. "It makes me wonder why we weren't enough."

Pema smiled sadly. "No," she corrected him. "We were too much." Tenzin raised his eyebrows. "We were suffocating her, but we were too busy to notice. Too sure that this life was the one anyone in their right mind would have wanted. But we were wrong. And she's―they're, right."

Tenzin took a deep breath, mulling over his wife's words. Jinora had been growing increasingly quiet and withdrawn; the loss of her fencing had been a hard hit. Not for the first time, he wondered just how far things with LingShi Chow had escalated, before and during the time she had run into him on the street before Kai had arrived to help her. He hadn't had the courage to ask, not sure he had wanted to know the answer. He had never expected this act of rebellion from Jinora ―Meelo, perhaps, who was digging in his heels against the idea of being Governor, or Ikki, who had always been far more outspoken and unabashed, but not Jinora, who had always been respectfully quiet and polite, or sophisticated and intelligent when the situation called for it. She had always been perfect, and now he realized she had been too perfect to be real, to be happy. She had been wearing a carefully crafted mask in front of her own family, and it had taken a pirate Captain for it to crack.

"I suppose you're right then as well, dear," he said finally.

Pema took a sip of her tea, even if by then it had now grown old. "Then I think it's time for us both to get some rest." She finished her tea, stood up and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Come on dear."

Tenzin let her lead him from his chair and to their bedroom, giving her an appreciative smile. "Thank you."

Pema smiled. "The boy deserves a thank you as well, you know."

Tenzin frowned slightly. "I suppose he does," he admitted reluctantly.

* * *

In the dead of night, Jinora felt the bed creak as Kai's weight shifted over and then off their bed. "Captain?" she said groggily, her voice soft from sleep. She barely opened her eyes, but didn't struggle to make out his silhouette in the darkness. By now, she knew his body as well as she knew her own.

"Go back to sleep Gyatso," he murmured, combing one hand gently through her hair. "Nightmare. Just getting up to count."

Jinora forced her eyes open. "You sure?"

It wasn't the first time Kai's nightmares had woken him up, and Jinora already knew it wouldn't be the last. They had been getting worse again, ever since Kai had received Tenzin's letter about Lee, and Kai had told Yung the truth about his parents. Still, none of them had been horrible ―or at least not enough to make Kai cry, and he nearly always let his walls down around her in that regard― and she knew that him checking on the rest of the crew, counting them one by one, making sure they were safe and sleeping soundly, put him at ease. Maybe it was because of the pregnancy, but she had been feeling far more tired lately as well.

She saw Kai's small smile as he bent over to kiss her briefly on the lips. "I'm sure, love."

She closed her eyes again as he closed the door, and laid there in the quiet darkness and their bed, now colder without his steady warmth. She stretched out her arm, her fingers closing around the sheets, the fabric still clinging to remnants of his warmth. This wasn't the first time she had stayed in bed while he went out to count, and knew it usually took him around 5 minutes to complete it, and eventually make his way back to bed. Sometimes 10. She didn't mind waiting, and her eyes watched the door, determined to wait until he came back to drift off to sleep again.

He didn't come back after 5 minutes, or 10. She let it stretch to 20 until she dragged herself out of bed, pulling her robe on the bedpost around her, her feet hitting the cold wooden floor as she padded out of their room, down the hall, through the dining hall, up the stairs, and onto the deck. Even though it was nearly April, it was frigid on deck, due to the wind rolling off the waves in the night. It was always colder at night when they were out at sea.

Kai was leaning on the left railing, his face directed towards the water. Jinora approached him silently and laid a hand on his shoulder. Kai flinched, not jumped, but then relaxed when he saw it was her. "The water calms me," he said quietly, running a hand through his hair. Jinora squeezed his shoulder, noticing the goosebumps on his arms, the slight blue of his lips.

"You'll freeze out here," she said gently, taking his hand away from his hair and lacing her fingers through his. "Come back to bed." She tugged him away from the railing but he didn't budge and she frowned.

"I'm fine," Kai said, even as a chill settled in the air.

"I'll be staying out here with you then," Jinora said firmly. "Until you decide to come in that is."

Kai threw her a sharp look, and she met his gaze evenly. "Fine," he relented, after a moment's pause. He let her lead him back down below decks and back to their room. Jinora closed their door behind them while Kai took a seat on their bed.

"What nightmare was it this time?" Jinora asked, taking a seat beside him.

"Different ones," Kai answered, looking up at her. "I've never had them...with you here, before. They're of the orphanage. I don't―" He curled in on himself slightly. "I hate being weak. I hate being helpless."

"Weakness is human, and sometimes in life you will be helpless," Jinora said softly, pulling him into her arms. "But that doesn't mean you're not strong, and that doesn't mean you're useless."

Kai buried his face in her neck. "I don't know how to be a dad."

"I don't think anyone really knows," Jinora said, running her fingers soothingly through his hair. "And you'll be an amazing father. Not a perfect one, just like I won't be a perfect mother. But you'll always think of what you wished you could have had, when you were young, at the orphanage. You know how children should be treated, you're a natural with Rohan. You'll be fine, Captain. And you have me, and Yung, and the crew, which is like 24 willing babysitters and uncles around all day every day to help us. Daw and Appa know a lot about kids. We'll be okay." Her smile faltered for a moment, but he didn't see it. "Trust me."

And if there was one thing Kai knew he could always do, it was trust her. "Okay," he sniffled, pulling away from her slightly. Jinora wiped away the few tears on his cheeks. "I think I'm gonna take night watch tomorrow. Might help."

"I'll stay up with you," she offered, but he shook his head.

"Nah, Gyatso. You need your sleep. You're sleeping for two now, remember?" he smiled sleepily at her.

Jinora wrinkled her nose at him. "I don't think it works like that."

Kai kissed the smirk off her face, replacing it with a sweet, shy smile as he grinned at her, his nose pressing into hers. "You can't be an expert on everything, Gyatso."

"Watch me," she said, and then stifled a yawn. "Just promise me that if the nightmares get worse, you'll take a dreamless sleep potion from Longshot. Skoochy's saying they've worked wonders for him."

"Alright," Kai agreed reluctantly. "I might give it a try."

Jinora pressed her lips to his. "Good. Now, let's try and get back to sleep."

So they did, curled up in each other's arms, her face resting on his chest, and they succeeded.

* * *

Tenzin had finished sending his letter to Kai that his journey to Geishou had been a success when a picture had fallen out of the orphanage's collection of files. It was old, even the back yellowed with age as he picked it up from the floor of his study, the rest of the file having remained untouched.

He wasn't prepared for the image that greeted his eyes.

It was Kai, but much younger. No older than four, at least. He was sullen, his clothes too big for him and swallowing up his puny frame, and Tenzin could see his collarbone jutting out far too much to be healthy. The picture's grey scale made the faded swelling of his left eye harder to see, but Tenzin could still seeing the bruises on his face. Kai's other eye was red and puffy. From crying? The weight of a thin frown was pulling his whole face down. The bold letters below read: _Child up for Adoption. Warning: behavioural issues._

Tenzin wanted to rip out the words, but instead he carefully cracked open the file, diverting his eyes, and slipped the photo back inside.

For the first time, he felt a rush of gratitude towards Yung, and a bit of wonderment. At least somehow had saved Kai, before it had been too late, although the task certainly hadn't been easy, and Tenzin suspected it was still a work in progress.

And he really did owe the boy―the young man, a thank you.


	13. Proposals

**Compass**

* * *

Chapter Thirteen:  
Proposals

* * *

They had just left Yuanshan the next day, with Lefty's brand new pegleg in tow, when a messenger hawk swooped over their sails. The bird squawked as it landed on _The Waterbender_ 's railing. The crew, most of which were in the middle of swabbing the deck, or carrying out some other chore (except for Skoochy, who was having a smoke, and Kai who was too busy joining him to chastise him) paused to see who it was for.

Imaru took a slightly bent envelope from the bird's carrier on its leg, glancing down at the address as the hawk flew off again. "Pabu?" he held the letter out to the redhead.

Pabu's face lit up as he saw the slanting writing of his name, and tore open the letter. Hegasped loudly as his eyes quickly scanned the paper. "Pabu?" Momo said worriedly, placing a hand on his boyfriend's shoulder.

"My―" Pabu managed out, wiping away at his tears as a broad grin broke over his face. "My sister's getting married! This summer, I―"

Momo promptly burst into tears. "Pabu that's wonderful!" He threw himself into the redhead's arms.

Pabu laughed as he steadied both of them. "It is! It's all the way back in the Fire Nation ―I'll have to prepare, and I know the fellow she's marrying, he's a good man―my little sister, all grown up!" Happy tears were still pooling his eyes as he laughed again, burying his face in Momo's shoulder.

The crew crowded around, a chorus of congratulations surrounding their friend. Once Pabu and Momo had parted, Kai clapped Pabu on the shoulder. "I'm happy for you. When's the wedding?"

"End of summer," Pabu said joyfully. He looked down at the letter, and then back at Kai, his grin faltering for a moment. "I know it's the busiest time of the year, but it wouldn't be too long and I could find my own way there and―"

"Don't be ridiculous," Kai said with a smile. "We're taking you there. Tyyo can see his family too. Besides, we can make a lot of money by trading some more foreign goods. Don't worry about it, Pabu."

Kai chuckled as Pabu threw his arms around the Captain in a tight hug. "Thank you Kai!"

Kai ruffled Pabu's hair as he pulled away. "Of course. You better start writing a reply, then."

Pabu ran over to Otaku's on-deck desk with parchment and quills to do just that. Jinora smiled as she watched him, joining Kai's side and wrapping an arm around his waist. "I told you you were a softie, Captain," she said, looking up at him.

Kai slung an arm over her shoulders. "Seems like you've finally learned all my secrets, Gyatso." He planted a kiss on her forehead, and she buried her face in his shoulder. "I think I'm alright with that. How about you?"

"I don't know," she teased. "I think I like a man with a little mystery."

"Looks like you're stuck with me, though."

Jinora grinned up at him. "I hope so..." she trailed off. "It was a kind thing. What you did for Pabu."

Kai rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, there really will be good business in trade, in fact we'll probably make even more money―"

She poked him in the chest. "Money had nothing to do with it, and you know it. When are you going to accept that you're a good man, Captain?"

"As soon as I can find it in myself to believe you," he promised.

Jinora nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Good."

* * *

Jinora found Yung before supper swabbing the deck, as she finished up her own chore of helping Daw prepare dinner. She picked up some of the mops left against the railing, Imaru and Appa having abandoned them to help set the table.

"Thanks Jinora," Yung smiled at her, as they stowed the mops away in the small weapons room just off the deck.

"Of course..." Jinora watched as the first mate made sure the mops were securely put away, and then turned to her. "You have lookout tonight, yes?" Yung nodded. "If Captain offers to take it for you, don't let him. He already took Ryu's last night."

"He's not sleeping well?" Yung guessed, and Jinora nodded this time. Yung sighed. "Is it because of what he told me, or the baby, or...?"

"Along with my father and Lee going to Geishou," she added. "It's a bit of everything, I think. I did make him promise to take one of Longshot's dreamless sleep potions if it got worse, but you know how he is."

"Slipping it into his soup is Plan B, then," Yung said with a slight grin. Jinora nearly smiled, and Yung stared hard at her. "Are _you_ okay?"

She raised her eyebrows. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well hypothetically speaking, if something was bothering you, you surely wouldn't tell Kai because you feel like he's already dealing with enough and wouldn't want to put more weight on his shoulders, even if he would want to know anyway." Yung gave her an encouraging smile. "But since you're like him in more ways than you realize, why don't you tell me about it first, and we'll go from there?"

Jinora sighed. "I... you're right. It's about the baby. I'm really excited and happy, especially to tell the rest of the crew, they'll be thrilled. And I'm not worried about my parents, once their initial reaction is over they'll be pleased. Or at least my mother will... Captain... Kai's worried about turning out like his father, but I've been reassuring that our baby's childhood won't be anything like his. That as long as we have love, and love the baby, everything will be okay..." Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at Yung miserably. "But I don't know if that's true."

Yung placed his hands on her shoulders, his brow furrowing. "Jinora, I―"

"Because I―I had _everything._ I never went hungry, I had a good education, friends. A family that loved me. My parents love me so, so much. But it still wasn't enough. I was still miserable. Kai's worried our baby will be like him, but what if they're like me? I had to go through all this to be happy, and what if... What if everything we can give still isn't enough?"

Some part of her felt guilty for telling Yung this, because he had lost his mother at a young age, and his father 7 years later. She knew she could never say this to Skoochy, who had grown up as a slave, or Tyyo, forced to steal by a desire to help support his large family from a young age, or Nukko, disgraced and disowned from his family for liking boys, or Po and Nidhi, growing up on the streets with only each other, or any of the crew who had suffered far more than she had, she was sure. Even telling Kai would be a struggle.

She wiped furiously at her eyes, surprised when Yung helped wipe away some of her tears. "I just..." she croaked out. "I just want our child to be happy."

Yung smiled softly. "I know the feeling." Not for the first time, she found herself amazed by him. How hard had it been, especially in the beginning, to take care of Kai: a damaged, distrustful boy, who even now would still insist that he was fine until he was going to pass out. Who was still working on hard to be happy, who stumbled, but years before she had met him, Yung had always been there to steady him. And now Yung was looking at her with such a warm smile she couldn't help but trust him as he gave her shoulders a squeeze, took a deep breath, and continued.

"But Jinora―all parents damage their children. In some way or another. I haven't always been perfect. Neither has Kai. And neither will you. And that's okay. You're gonna love this kid so damn much, but that doesn't mean it's always gonna be easy, or that you're always going to be able to protect them. But that's not what being a parent is about. It's about picking up the pieces. It's all about trying. That's all you can do, really. Your parents are trying, aren't they?" he reminded her, and she nodded, drying her eyes. "That makes a big difference. Most high society families would have disowned you, but they didn't."

She knew he was right. Her friend Pfannee Wen had been disowned for having a child out of wedlock. Now here she was, in the same situation, as her hand settled on her stomach in a motion was quickly becoming instinct, with a pirate as the father. Any of her friends parents likely would have disowned her in a heartbeat. But hers didn't. She felt a rush of gratitude. Even if her father wasn't perfect, he was trying, and that was really all she could ask him to do.

"They're trying," Yung reiterated. "They don't have everything figured out. You don't either, but that's okay, I promise. Everything will be fine."

Jinora looked up at him, and then threw her arms around him. Yung patted her on the back as he hugged her back, and she managed a teary smile. "Thank you."

"Of course. You're my daughter-in-law, aren't you?" Yung smiled softly at her as she pulled away.

Jinora laughed a little. "Kai's asked you to be grandfather, hasn't he?"

Yung's eyes lit up. "Yeah. I'm honoured, really."

"Good," Jinora gave him another quick hug. "You deserve it. You helped us get together, after all, and that was hardly easy."

Yung chuckled. "No, it really wasn't..." His expression turned more serious. "You should tell him, you know, how you feel about the baby. He'd want to know."

Her face fell. "But we grew up so differently, he wouldn't understand, and I don't want him to think I'm ungrateful, or something―" It wasn't often she was reminded of her and Kai's stark differences ―true, they responded differently to things, but she for the most part felt it was a matter of opinion when they bickered, rather than background or class. The latter seemed much harder to deal with.

"He can relate to that as much as you can relate to living on the streets," Yung said dryly. "But you still want him to share how he feels about that, don't you?"

"Yes," she admitted, and sighed. "I'll talk to him. Or I'll try to, at least."

Yung nodded his approval. "That's my girl."

* * *

Jinora was far more composed in her and Kai's room. She didn't cry this time ―or at least not until the very end― when Kai, who had been listening and waiting patiently, pulled her into a tight hug. She felt a sob rise in her throat when Kai said, very quietly, "I think I get it." She buried her face in his shoulder, nudging her nose into him as a sign for him to keep talking, so he did. "I mean, maybe not all of it, because yeah, we grew up differently. Really differently. But I think I get some of it, because once Yung took me in, and I started to trust him...He loves me a lot. They all do, and I'm really grateful. But that doesn't mean that whatever's wrong with me―"

"Nothing's wrong with you," Jinora mumbled, and Kai cracked a smile at her.

"Okay, well, whatever you wanna call my nightmares and bad places then," he planted a kiss in her hair. "That love doesn't mean those go away. Love isn't always enough. It just means I have something to fall back on, and it helps me back on my feet. It can't make all the bad stuff go away, but it helps, and I think...I think that's enough. D'you get what I'm saying?"

"Yeah." She pressed her cheek against her shoulder, her forehead pressing into the crook of his neck. "I wanna tell the crew tomorrow, about the baby. It's been a week over three months."

"Just make sure we have tissues nearby for them," Kai said, his arms tightening around her waist. He could feel the beginnings of her baby bump pressed into his own stomach. Jinora laughed lightly, a soft sound that let him know everything was alright, with her at least. "When," a trace of nervousness entered his voice, "when do you wanna tell your parents? In a letter?"

"No, we should do it in person," she replied.

"You don't suppose we could just wait until the baby's born and then they'll be too busy fawning over our kid for your dad to yell at me?" Kai tried weakly and Jinora threw him a look. "Alright, so that's a no."

"Don't worry about it Captain," Jinora took his hand and squeezed it. "We'll be alright. And I'll yell right back at my father if I have to. But let's worry about that bridge when we get there, alright?"

He managed a smile. "Alright."

* * *

After the words, "I'm pregnant," came out of Jinora's mouth at breakfast the next day, there was a stunned silence, and then an eruption of joyful noise. Momo burst into tears, Zedd received some money from Po (most likely from some kind of bet), Skoochy's unlit cigarette fell out of his mouth, Otaku looked up from his papers looking like a cat-deer in the headlights, and Lefty moved as fast as he could with his pegleg to lift them both into a bone crushing hug.

"That's wonderful!" Imaru managed over the din. Appa, who was sitting beside him, looked rather teary eyed, surely thinking the day his sister Menli had told him she was pregnant with Momo. "How far along?"

"A little over three months," Jinora beamed, once Lefty had set her and their Captain back down. The crew seemed to move as an almost overwhelming wave of grins, crowding excitedly around her and Kai's chairs. Not that they minded: her cheeks hurt from smiling so much, but it was the best kind of ache.

"I was wondering why you weren't drinking," Zedd remarked, shooting a particularly smug look in Po's direction, before taking a swig of his own beer.

"We should celebrate!" Skoochy beamed.

"You just want an excuse to drink," Ryu jabbed at him, but even he was wearing a small smile and his eyes were all lit up.

"Just to rub it in Gyatso's face Skooch?" Kai smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. "Nice."

Jinora swatted him in the arm, and shot a playful glare at Skoochy. "Very mature, boys."

"We try, ma'am," Skoochy chuckled.

"We haven't had a music night in a while," Ryu suggested. "We should have another one before you're too fat for it."

Jinora nearly winced. She wasn't looking forward to swollen ankles, or cravings or more nausea or any of the less-than-stellar parts of being pregnant. Still, it'd be worth it, when she held her child ―Kai's child, in her arms for the first time. "Considerate, as always, Ryu. But a music night would be fun."

Bansi drummed his fingers excitedly on the table. "Say no more then."

"Nidhi and I can make a cradle, a dresser, anything useful," Po offered. His voice was always loud, but he had to raise it to be heard over Momo, who was sitting next to him and practically sobbing happily into Pabu's shoulder.

Imaru patted Momo sympathetically on the shoulder, before adding, "I'm pretty good at sewing myself. I can make baby clothes once I can get some ideas of the measurements."

"And we'll all pool money together, of course," Otaku said, and a chorus of agreement rang out.

Jinora felt tears come to her eyes. If she could have hugged 25 people at once, she would have; but since she couldn't, she could only settle for beaming at every one of her boys. She couldn't manage to say thank you, but she thought they understood as they continued chatting happily around her, their smiles only growing with every word.

With uncles like this, she knew their kid would be just fine.

* * *

They were heading towards Bǎoshí Harbor at the end of the Gold Coast, on two important errands: the first was to deliver Pabu's letter to his parents, the second to send Kai and Jinora's response of setting a date to visit her family again. Jinora had been corresponding back and forth with her friends from secondary school, and they had managed to work out a meeting in two weeks from now. She hoped it would work out her parents would be available the same weekend: that way, they could tell everyone at once, and wouldn't have to come back to Republic City too soon to be reasonable.

Momo had been put on lookout, and was going to climb up the mast when Pabu called out to him. "Momo?"

Momo felt himself smile, an involuntary reflex whenever his boyfriend was around. "What is it?" he asked, turning to face him.

Pabu took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Well, since we'll all be going over to the Fire Nation―I was going to ask you anyway, but uh―I'd like you to be my date for it. And to meet my family, if that's alright...?" Pabu smiled nervously.

Momo's face lit up. "Yeah! Yeah, I'd love that. I'm sure they're wonderful, because you're wonderful, and great and―I'm rambling now, so I'll just..." he shut his mouth.

Pabu shook his head and grinned, before he leaned over and pecked Momo on the cheek. "You're adorable. But that's great. I just wanted to check before I finished writing my reply. Do you want me to stay up with you?"

Momo shrugged. "Only if you want to. Nukko will be keeping me company. He had steering duty, but he offered to take lookout with me."

Since after their music, they had anchored for the night. Most of the crew were so used to the chore schedule, however, that even when they got out of say, lookout duty, their bodies still typically wouldn't let them sleep. Longshot had potions for fixing such a thing, if it would be an issue, but Momo knew that right now, the medic was concentrating on making sure Skoochy, and Kai no matter how reluctant the Captain was, to take some dreamless sleep potions, and Nukko hadn't wanted to bother him when it wasn't necessary.

"I think I will be going to bed, then," Pabu said, because as much as he loved his boyfriend, he also loved sleep. "G'night."

Momo squeezed his hand before letting go. "Night."

Pabu met Nukko in the hallway. The man had all the markings of the Northern Water Tribe, from where he came from: the dark skin and hair, clear blue eyes, and the stockier build, like a slightly smaller Appa or Imaru. The main way he differed was Nukko kept his short hair tied back in a small braid, an unusual style for a Water Tribe man, not that any of them really cared.

Nukko paused, raising at eyebrow when he saw Pabu. "Someone's happy about something. The baby?" he guessed. Almost none of them had stopped smiling for the rest of the day.

"No. Well, yes but, I just asked Momo to be my date for my sister's wedding," Pabu explained with a shrug. "He's excited to meet my family, too..." Pabu's smile faded slightly.

Nukko stooped down slightly so he was on Pabu's eye level. "And you're not...?" he asked slowly.

Pabu avoided his eyes. "I've never brought a boy home before."

Nukko didn't look surprised. "Is your family traditional?"

"Not really," Pabu shrugged. "I think my dad's always suspected...I just don't wanna have them look at me differently you know? I've always been this way. Nothing's changed. I'm still me, I still love photography, and my crew, and being a pirate, and I love boys. Except that they'll know. And that might change everything." Pabu sighed. "How did you...deal with it? If you don't mind me asking," he added hastily, but Nukko waved his hand dismissively.

"It's fine," he assured him, before sighing heavily. "Well, you know what happened, right?"

Pabu nodded. "Yeah."

Yung and Appa had pulled him aside one day, within his first three months of being part of the crew (Kai had been only 14 at the time, Pabu a young 16 years of age) and told him the story: Nukko had grown up in a very traditional, upper class family in the Northern Water Tribe, alongside two older brothers. He and a boy had fallen in love with each other but knew they could never be together publicly. When they reached marrying age, Nukko had been engaged to a good friend of his, a girl who knew the truth and was willing not only to keep his secret, but help the love affair continue. But Nukko had refused. He had announced his sexuality publicly at his boyfriend's rehearsal banquet, keeping his lover's identity a secret. His parents had disowned him on the spot, his boyfriend had remained silent, and Nukko had left the Northern Water Tribe on the first boat that would take him out of there, nearly 15 years ago.

"Well, I didn't have any delusional hope," Nukko said dryly. "I knew what I was getting myself into; made it easier, somehow, I think. But it was worth it...looking back on it now, I can see that clearly. I didn't want to live someplace where I had to be ashamed of who I was. And then I ended up here, and well, you know what it was like under Zaheer..."

Pabu pursed his lips. Nukko had been the one who warned him of their previous Captain's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. "Tolerated, not accepted."

Nukko smiled bitterly. "Yeah. But you and Momo are really lucky you've found each other―anyone in love is. And if your family can't see that, well, you still have us. We're not the typical family, but we're still a family. Still take care of each other." Nukko's smile turned genuine. "That's all that matters, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Pabu managed a smile. "You're right. Thanks, Nukko."

Nukko clapped Pabu on the shoulder. "Anytime. Have a good night's sleep, will you?"

"You too," Pabu gave him an appreciative grin. "Just a warning though, since Momo has a habit of falling asleep on people's shoulders: he drools."

Nukko crossed his arms over his chest. "That's nothing. Lefty's bed is directly opposite mine; I can handle anything, by this point."

Pabu laughed lightly. "Good night Nukko."

Nukko shook his head and smiled. "Night, Pabu."

Momo had brought up some blankets with him to the crow's nest, and already had them draped over his shoulders. It wasn't the coldest night by far, but it could still be pretty chilly. "What took you so long?" Momo said. "I was getting lonely up here."

"I was just talking to Pabu," Nukko shrugged, gratefully accepting one of Momo's blankets.

Momo's face lit up. "Ooh, did he tell you about the wedding? He's asked me to be his date! I can't wait to meet his family, it's gonna be exciting, and he loves them a lot and his sister looks like him ―well, not really, but they have the same red hair, so they kind of do? Red hair isn't that common though, except in the Fire Nation, although apparently there's man known as Red Razor Cheng in Paradise who has red hair, but―"

Nukko had forgotten how talkative Momo could be sometimes. "Yeah," he cleared his throat. "He did. He's a little worried, actually." Momo's grin flickered. "You're the first boy he's ever brought home," Nukko explained. "I talked him through it, but I still think it'd be smart for you to talk to him too."

Momo's smile softened, the light in his eyes now steady and reassuring, as if he already knew exactly what he was going to say to his boyfriend; and indeed he did. "Yeah... Thanks Nukko."

Nukko chuckled slightly as Momo wrapped his skinny arms around the other man's thicker torso in a tight hug. Nukko patted Momo on the back. "'Course Momo."

He and Momo both jumped in alarm when they saw something wriggle under the blankets stowed only a foot away. "A rat?" Momo gasped, his voice almost an octave higher than usual.

Nukko's darker complexion turned paler. He hated rats, or any type of small rodents, really. "God I hope not!"

Momo carefully picked up the top blanket and peeled it away, and then they both sighed in relief. It was just Mouse, plodding along on her furry little paws for some warmth. Beaming, Nukko scooped her up in his arms and scratched behind her ears. "You gave us quite a scare, you know?" Mouse purred happily. "You're lucky you're so cute."

The rest of the night went on peacefully, and true to Pabu's warning, Momo did fall asleep with his head on Nukko's shoulder. The Water Tribe man shifted a blanket over slightly to catch the drool, while Mouse slept in his lap.

This was his home, and this was his family, and he wouldn't trade them for anything.

Neither would Momo, which was why he approached him when they both had cleaning duty after breakfast, of picking up all the dirty dishes and the like.

"Nukko told me you were a little worried," Momo confessed, looking up at Pabu, who kept his gaze firmly directed on the bowl of unfinished porridge in front of him. The redhead nodded. "And I want you to know it's okay...I've thought about stuff like that too. It's different, because I like boys and girls so for a long time I could just hide liking boys, but..."

"Appa's more than accepting, though," Pabu said quietly.

Momo nodded, and set down his small stack of dirty dishes, going over to place a hand on Pabu's shoulder. "I dunno if my mom would have been though. I think she would. Uncle says she would have. I'm betting my father wouldn't have been, though."

Pabu looked up to meet Momo's eyes, which had tears pooling at the corners. "Mo..." Momo hardly ever talked about his father ―or therefore, his lack of one.

"I hadn't even been born, and he had already decided he didn't want me," Momo ploughed on, his voice thick with tears. "But how was he supposed to really decide that, if he didn't actually know who I am? The worst thing you can do is judge people too quickly. Look at Captain and Jinora! None of us ever saw this coming, 'cept for Yung, and they're so happy. And I want that for us, and the rest of your family, so give all of us the benefit of the doubt. You're not doing this alone, and no matter what happens you'll always have a family."

Pabu pulled Momo into a tight hug. "Thank you," he choked out. "I―" he stammered, because he had never said it before, neither of them had, but he knew it was true. He knew no matter what his family said, it was right, and he had a feeling they would know it was too. "I love you."

Momo inhaled sharply, and then rested his head on top of Pabu's as happy tears leaked out of his eyes. "I love you too."

"And I am really excited for you to meet my family," Pabu promised. Momo gave him a little squeeze.

"Me too."

* * *

They received Tenzin's letter the night before Kai managed to send his own. It was short, and to the point, and didn't use too many long words, which Kai was grateful for, as his hands were shaking the entire time he held the piece of parchment, his voice wavering as he read it aloud to Jinora in the comfort and privacy of the Captain's quarters.

"I'm pleased to inform you that what Lee and I sought to find in Geishou was successfully found and intact. Due to the sensitivity of the material at hand, I thought it would be better to give you the file in person rather than run the risk of mailing it over, and Pema and I would love to see Jinora again sooner than our last visit. We can negotiate on dates, although we'll be in the city every weekend due to campaigning internally for the re-election. Regards, Tenzin Gyatso." Kai let out a little laugh in disbelief.

Jinora carefully pried the letter out of his hands. "Love? You alright?" She nudged his arms open slightly and sat in his lap on their bed.

"Yeah." A broad grin broke out over his face. "I just―I never thought I'd get to know, y'know? Like I was trying to prepare myself for disappointment but I didn't _need_ to and―" He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and buried his face in her neck. "I'm gonna get to know my mom's _name_."

It was such a simple thing, really, but after a lifetime of not knowing, she couldn't imagine how much this meant to him. "If the baby's a girl, we could name them after her," she offered gently.

Kai pressed his lips to the crook of her neck. "Thank you..." He drew away to look her in the eyes, his nose brushing curve of her rosy cheek. "If we're going along with that, maybe the middle name could be for your mom?"

"I figured my mother will be having a bunch of other grandchildren, so I was thinking, actually, maybe it could be for Yung?" she suggested. "A lot of girl's names have 'yun' in them after all, and he's like a father to both of us, and it would have taken even longer for us to be together without him."

"True," Kai admitted with a grin, his eyes flickering down to her lips, and Jinora smirked at him.

Kai cupped her chin, his other hand undoing the hair tie that was holding up her hair. Her short hair hung down to nearly her shoulders, and he ran his fingers through her curls. "I think that's a wonderful idea." His hand slowly wandered to the small of her back.

"Not the only thing on your mind, though," Jinora teased.

"Nope," he said happily, scooping her up bridal style into his arms, and carried her over to their bed.

They shed their clothes quickly and made love far more slowly, even if the way the moved together was as fast and far more erratic than their heartbeats. Moonlight was streaming in through their room's tiny window when they finally stopped, and Kai pulled Jinora into his arms, resting his hands over the swell of her stomach, his face in her hair.

"You're perfect," he murmured in a low voice.

Jinora's fingers played with his own as she laughed lightly. "No I'm not."

He kissed her shoulder. "You are to me." He gently turned her head towards him, and she turned her whole body so it was tucked in between his, and tangled their legs together as she smiled up at him. This was it, he realized. This was what he wanted every night for the rest of his life to be like―and this was the moment to ask her. He glanced over her shoulder at her half of their anchor pendant, hanging from the bedpost, mirroring his own. They were already two halves of the same whole, but this would just make it official.

With his back to the wall that his bed was against, Jinora was closer to his pants, which was were the engagement ring was hiding. "Gyatso?" he said, stroking his thumb over her cheek. "This may sound kinda odd, but can you pass me my pants?"

Jinora raised her eyebrow at him, but groaned and reluctantly pulled away from him. "Ugh, fine. You can't just use our bathroom?" She leaned over the bed and picked his pants up from the floor, and then threw them at his head. "You happy, Captain?" she said with a slight smile.

Kai's grin turned nervous. "Yeah." He reached inside his pocket and closed his fingers around the ring, wanting to keep it somewhat hidden as he tossed his pants back onto the floor. "Because of you, I'm the happiest man in the world." He took her other hand with his free one, tugging her upwards slightly so they were both sitting up, and staring at each other in the dark, her eyes full of a kind of quiet wondering, and simmering underneath, love that he he knew was reflected in his own.

This wasn't the traditional proposal, nor would the result be a traditional or legal marriage; but they had never been a traditional couple, and frankly, he didn't really care. All he wanted was for her to know how much he loved her.

"I was talking to Lefty," he said quietly. "About pirate ceremonies. Weddings." Comprehension slowly dawned on Jinora's face. And it wouldn't be legal, not really, but... I want to be with you in every way that I can be. I owe and want you that much...so―" he took a deep breath and held up the ring. It was a simple silver band with a white stone in a circular shape. On the inside of the band was a little engraved anchor symbol.

"So, Jinora Gyatso, will you marry me?"

One heartbeat, then two, or maybe more, because his heart was pounding in his throat as he watched her expression shift in the dark from shock, to understanding, and then to joy as she threw her arms around him and kissed him full on the mouth. She pulled away after a moment, looking up at him giddily, her forehead resting against his, her arms still around his neck. "Yes. Of course I'll marry you." She kissed him again, pressing her mouth more firmly against his. "Yes."

Tears welled in her eyes as he slipped the ring onto her finger, before lacing their fingers together and squeezing her hand.

Neither of them had ever thought they could be this happy.


	14. Smooth Sailing

COMPASS

Chapter Fourteen:  
Smooth Sailing

* * *

Kai woke up smiling, although it took him a moment to remember exactly why. Then, as he caught sight of the ring on Jinora's finger, her hand resting on his bare chest, he smiled sleepily down at her. Her hair was messy, her mouth slightly ajar as she snuffled in her sleep, her body practically draped over his with one of his arms around her bare waist, and her head resting on his shoulder.

Kai knew he should be getting up, as he glanced outside and saw the lightening sky, but couldn't bring himself to move. He knew Yung would take care of things. And spending a morning in bed with his fiancée sounded like a dream come true, even if she wasn't awake for it.

She roused though, as he ran a hand through her soft, silky hair, even if he had been trying not to wake her. "G'morning Gyatso," he said with a smile. She curled further into him, pressing a sleepy kiss to his chest, wrapping her arm fully around him.

"Good morning Captain," she greeted, yawning. "You're not getting up?"

"You want me to?" he teased, and she wrinkled her nose at him.

"You know I love staying in bed with you," she said happily. "I wish we could do it more often."

He planted a kiss in her hair. "Me too. And today, we can just be lazy...Tyyo's birthday's at the end of the week, but all the details are already ironed out...We're waiting back for a reply from your parents, and we're out at sea...I'm all yours today, Love."

She nuzzled her face into his chest. "Aren't you mine every day?"

Kai chuckled.

"Of course." His hand found hers and he ran his thumb over her engagement ring. "And you're mine." He felt her smile against his skin as she wound her fingers through his and gave his hand a squeeze. He pulled her closer and rested their hands against the small swell of her stomach. "And this is proof." He could still hardly believe it sometimes, even as her stomach got bigger every day, that there was a life growing inside

Jinora giggled softly. "You're such an idiot," she said fondly. "Hopefully our baby is getting my brains."

Kai rolled his eyes. "No fair. You're already the complete package, brains and beauty and kindness. What is our kid supposed to get from me?"

"Your bravery," Jinora said, her hand shifting to rest on his back, pressing her fingers in between his shoulderblades before they sought out his scars and gently traced them. "Although perhaps not your recklessness. Your leadership, too, and, as much as it pains me to admit it, I've always thought you were very handsome."

"I did drive you crazy," Kai said with a slight smirk and hint of smugness in his voice.

"Still do," she said dryly.

Kai's smirk grew. "Good." His hands gripped her hips before he rolled them over so she was on her back and he was on top. Jinora easily wound her arms around her neck and let her hands settle at the nape of it; he could feel the thin, cool metal of her engagement ring pressing into his skin.

She shifted under him slightly, and one of Kai's hands remained on her hips, stroking over the small, simple anchor tattoo inked on her skin, while the other cupped her jaw and lifted her head a little to give him better access to the pale column on her throat as he leaned down to kiss it. Jinora let out a content hum, burying her fingers in his messy bedhead as he pressed sloppy kisses along the curve of her neck.

"Although just for the record, Jinora," he murmured, before biting gently at her skin, and she moaned softly. "You don't just drive me crazy; you make me wanna beg."

Jinora slowly opened her eyes to meet his in the dark as he raised his face above hers. She took one hand and cupped the side of his face, her lips slightly parted as he leaned up and kissed him softly, before Jinora kissed him far more fiercely and she pulled him down with her, her thighs squeezing his hips as he brought himself into her, and then they were joined, moving blissfully together.

Kai wished every morning could be like this.

Afterwards, once they had gone still and he had rolled off of her to give them both a chance to catch their breath, he kept his arms wrapped around her protectively, his hands over her stomach with her back pressing into his chest. "I love you," he murmured into the crook of her neck.

Jinora ran her fingers over his. "I love you too." She shifted, rolling over slightly in his arms so that she could face him, and pressed a quick kiss to the tip of his nose. "And I'm proud to be your lover, your fiancée. Whatever I can be to you."

"You're my best friend," Kai told her with a soft smile. "And the mother of my child, and I am so, so lucky that I'm yours."

"I know the feeling." She sighed contentedly. "So, what exactly does a pirate wedding entail, anyhow?"

"Vows, dancing. There's a duet we sing, but we don't practice with each other until the actual wedding. Lefty's gonna teach us, Bansi too I guess. And hopefully we won't step on each other's feet," he grinned, and Jinora flushed.

"That was one time," she scoffed, her cheeks as pink as the sky outside. Kai just laughed and rubbed his nose gently against hers. Jinora sighed and smiled fondly at him, running up to run a hand through his messy hair. A mischievous glint came into her eyes as she wiggled her cold toes, and then rubbed them against Kai's leg.

"Gyatso!" She laughed, as he rolled back on top of her in an attempt to pin her. "You're the worst," he told her fondly, and she wrinkled her nose at him.

"And you still want to marry me," she teased.

"Of course." Something in Kai's bright green eyes softened. "I know we just said it, but... I love you. So much. No matter what. You know that, right? I know sometimes I'm not the best at showing it, but...I love you, Jinora Gyatso, with everything I can give. I just want it to be enough."

"It already is," Jinora promised him. She rested on hand on his chest, over his heart. "When I was a little girl, before I knew what was in store for me, I used to dream about my wedding day. I'd think about my dress, and the flowers, and how pretty everything would look. I didn't think too much about the man I wanted to stand beside me...at least not until I was older." She smiled, feeling happy tears prick at her eyes. "You're certainly not what I expected. But you are what I want, and you are what I need. I will love you all the days of my life, Kai."

Kai rested his forehead against hers, and a kind of peace seemed to wash over him that Jinora had almost never seen, one that showed for once, he wasn't worried or struggling with anything. Perfectly calm, perfectly _happy_. Jinora wished he could be like that all of the time, in an ideal world.

He gently brushed some strands of hair from her face, combing his fingers through her dark hair. "One of the traditions...we can write our own wedding vows, if you want. I think we'd be pretty good at it."

She nodded. "I'd like that."

The bed was so soft, and he was so warm, all pressed up against her. She felt her eyelids grow heavy, saw the way the bags under his own eyes seemed to lessen.

"Yeah?"

Even as her eyes closed, she could hear the soft smile in his voice as she buried her face in his chest again, breathing him in and exhaling her answer against his skin.

"Yeah."

The Captain drifted off to sleep a few moments after his fiancée did.

* * *

The crew had another celebration once they had heard of the engagement which lasted well into the night, and more than a few of them had passed out drunk. Jinora, meanwhile, had enjoyed the unique experience of being perfectly sober while the boys got continually rowdier; at one point Lefty had started treating the mast like a stripper pole, which was really something she could have lived her whole life without seeing (Kai had clamped his hands over her eyes a few seconds too late), and Pabu showed off photographs of all of them in far too close-ups, mouths ajar or nostrils flaring. It certainly wasn't a flattering depiction, but she preferred them over her poised and staged family portraits and photographs back at the Gyatso mansion any day.

A few days later, they celebrated Tyyo's birthday on a brisk, sunny day, even if there was a faint chill in the air, rolling off the waves. Over the past six (nearly seven now, she reminded herself) months, Jinora had gotten used to the way birthdays worked on the ship. Depending on whether or not they were at a port, sometimes they went on out the town. When it had been Otaku's during early winter, they had gone to a library instead, not that she had minded. If they were out at sea, like they were now, they'd wait until the next port to do so. Other than that, birthday celebrations consisted of the said receiver having no chores and getting their favourite meals, and maybe a trinket here or there.

Among other gifts (a small Fire Nation flag on a stick, a couple of new shirts, and a ring that could be twisted, for when Tyyo was feeling particularly jittery) Imaru had sewn together a kind of tweed jacket ―the fabric provided by Bansi and Ryu, the latter claiming, "So it's a joint present."― with hidden pockets for Tyyo to hide whatever he had stolen in them. Tyyo tried it on and did a little twirl, laughing as the fabric followed his motions.

And it was this article of clothing that he wore when he headed out on the streets to do some good old fashioned pickpocketing. Tyyo had never fully gotten out of his thieving habits, so one of the things, Jinora had learned, was that for his birthday, Kai would let Tyyo have some serious leeway to steal whatever he wanted with no consequences (as long as he didn't get caught, obviously, not that he ever had).

Jinora had tagged along, as she wanted to explore that part of the market anyway, and well...she was a little curious. To be a thief that had never been caught wasn't perhaps anything her crowd would have though impressive, but she couldn't help but think it was strangely skillful. Tyyo was also chockfull of stories about his various siblings, seven in total ―two older, five younger― growing up in the sweltering weather of the Fire Nation.

Jinora's stomach hurt from laughter, even as she continued to wear baggier clothes to hide the ever growing baby bump. She was nearly four months along, after all. By the time she and Kai would see her parents again (hopefully in two weeks' time, which was the tentative date) it would be nearly impossible to hide.

"When did you first start stealing?" Jinora asked, looking at Tyyo curiously, after he had excellently stolen the wallet of some rich, snooty-looking man passing by; his first steal of the day. Despite being from the Fire Nation like Pabu, Tyyo didn't have same red hair, instead sporting thick, dark curls that could have probably used a trim.

"I was six," Tyyo told her cheerfully. "I stole a toy from my older brother..." Both of their smiles faded. "When I got older, it became a way to help make ends meet. My brother got into dealing... It was hard. But they're all clean and on their feet now, though." He smiled brightly, but Jinora just pursed her lips. "Hey, Jinora, you don't...Don't feel guilty, or anything." He started fidgeting with his new ring, twisting it round and round his finger.

"My family had so much money," she said in a pained voice, and Tyyo put his hand on her shoulder.

"And it didn't seem to make you that much happier, so," he shrugged. "We can't choose what we're born into, but we can choose where we go from there. That's why we're all here, isn't? It's not about money. Never has been."

Jinora managed a smile. "Have you been spending a lot of time with Daw, recently?" The cook always seemed to have some words of wisdom that could be readily given at just the perfect time.

"He's been making a lot of cookies lately," Tyyo beamed at her. "Now, come on, we're wasting daylight, and I wanna see if I can beat my record of how much I stole last time."

Jinora raised an eyebrow at him. "Why, how much did you steal?"

"25 wallets," Tyyo said. "I'm out of practice."

Chuckling, and shaking her head slightly, Jinora followed him down the winding streets.

(He managed to snag 26 before the day was over.)

* * *

They stopped in another port, some place with a lot of trees, a few days later. Po and Nidhi had Appa and Imaru help them haul a huge block of wood onto the ship. Within only a few days, the carpenters' plans became clear: they were creating a fanciful cradle, in a kind of small, mock boat shape, modelled after the Waterbender.

"So the waves can rock the kid asleep," Po had said cheerfully with a wide grin, his older brother offering a much smaller but just as sincere one.

Jinora had promptly burst into tears. The pregnancy hormones, it seemed, were getting to her. There had been a few more bouts of motion sickness, and once, she had been craving raspberry fruit tarts when they had been out at sea (dealing with her wrath had easily been one of the scariest experiences of Kai's life). The mood swings hadn't kicked it, which Jinora was sure Kai and the rest of her boys were very grateful for. They were all exceedingly patient and understanding though.

"Women are badass," Ryu had said once, and a murmur of agreement had rung through the crew.

Jinora hadn't felt particularly badass as she vomited into the closest bucket, but hey, moral support never hurt.

The crew had finished clearing out the old cabin boy's room, as that would be the baby's nursery, since it was the perfect size for it and close to the Captain's quarters. Jinora hoisted a box into her arms, straining slightly under the weight, when Kai took it out of her hands.

"Didn't you hear Longshot?" he scolded, sounding unusually stern. "No heavy lifting."

Jinora threw him a dry stare. "Yes, when I'm further along," she corrected him, going to take the box out of his arms, but he wouldn't let her.

"You're nearly halfway, which is long enough for me," Kai said firmly, and she frowned. "Which reminds me...I wanted to talk to you about what should be done if we get raided, or something."

Jinora raised her eyebrows at him. "Okay...?"

He sighed, his brow pinching together as if he already knew she wouldn't like it, and Jinora stared at him, mildly apprehensive, as he hesitated before speaking again. "No fighting. You'll stay below decks, and I'll have Appa and Imaru stay with you for extra protection―"

Jinora narrowed her eyes. "No way. I'm not just going to sit here and do nothing while the rest of you are―"

" _Not pregnant_ ," said Kai forcefully. "This isn't really a negotiation or suggestion, Gyatso."

"I am perfectly capable of defending myself, Captain," she growled, poking him in the chest.

Kai grabbed her finger with his free hand, the storage box tucked under his other arm. "And I _know_ that. You've defended me on more than once occasion," he reminded her, and her frown faded a little. "This isn't about me doubting your skill, Gyatso." He allowed himself a small, slightly smug smirk. "I've taught you well, after all. If I'm being honest, I'd try and have you stay below deck during all of the raids―" he caught the look on her face, and gulped. "―and I'm not helping myself, so ―look, Gyatso, the _point_ is, is that this isn't just about you. It's for the baby." His hand moved to cover hers and he gave it a squeeze. "Even just the stress, or a tiny wound or whatever in the wrong area...It could be really bad, Jin."

Jinora squeezed his hand. "I...Alright. I'll stay safe. But I don't have to like it."

"And I'm not asking you to," Kai said cheerfully. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, giving her hand one last squeeze before letting go, and bringing the box completely into his arms. "Why don't you help Daw in the kitchen instead?" he suggested. "I'm sure you'd be able to nick some snacks. Pallo always watches the pantry when he's on kitchen duty and Daw's working. He'll normally turn a blind eye."

Jinora knew a peace offering when she saw one, and Kai was grateful she took it. "Alright," she said again. "But only because I'm feeling tired."

Kai smiled at her. "Of course, Love."

Jinora headed to the kitchen, rubbing her hand over her stomach. Otaku had purchased some pregnancy books on their latest port stop, and she had spent a few days looking over them, as had Longshot, and Kai, to the best of his reading ability. It said that the nausea would mostly go away as she got further along in the fourth month, and the book had explained why her boobs felt sore sometimes, and it had told her to prepare for some lightheadedness too, but God...She couldn't imagine how her mother had down this four times, and Tyyo's mom a total of eight times. She knew it'd be worth it somehow, when she held her child in her arms for the first time.

And even if biologically things were a little confusing and messy, at least she knew she and Kai were in a better place with it now. Yung's talk had managed to quell most of her worries, and she supposed she couldn't worry about things she didn't know for certain. All she could do was try, like Yung had said, to be the parent she wished she had had when she was struggling. As for Kai, she could tell his father was weighing heavily on him, on bad days that were few and far between. She knew Yung was his lifeline at the moment (or at any time, really), that as terrible as the beginning of Kai's childhood had been, he knew that he had a role model and a good parent to lean on, after all.

Jinora found Daw rummaging through the pantry with Pallo looking on, before the cook triumphantly pulled out a bottle of spices. "Here it is!" He gave the bottle a little shake before practically leaping over to the stew cooking over on the stove. He poured half the bottle into it, and then stirred, the soup turning a creamy white and looking absolutely delicious. "Ah, Jinora. How're you feeling?"

"Better," Jinora said with a smile. She had spent at least an hour that morning bent over a bucket, with Kai holding her hair out of her face and rubbing her back while she emptied the contents of her stomach. At least if her fiancé wasn't the one suffering, he was there to support her every step of the way. "How about you?"

"I'm wonderful," Daw said happily. "Well, you and Pallo can help by chopping some vegetables for the stew. Otaku's coming by later, he went to pick up mail, so he should have your parents' letter. He's also getting the paper―re-election and all that. Wants to keep up since we have a personal interest."

Jinora found herself grateful, not for the first time, that the crew had readily taken to her family. Or at least being in support of them. It made everything a lot easier and frankly, she thought she deserved a break.

Pallo was left handed, so he stayed at the edge of the counter while she remained in between him and Daw, who had them cutting carrot-tomatoes. As Jinora had grown throughout her teenage years, she had tried to sneak around and learn how to do things for herself, which Tenzin had allowed, to a certain extent. He had never let her go down to the kitchens however, so the only cooking experience she had had started on the ship. By now she could chop vegetables or bake or do any other task just as well as any of the crew, but she noticed that Pallo had a practiced sort of grace in the way he handled the knife.

She knew he had been a footman in a high society home before becoming a pirate, and wondered if he had worked his way up through the rankings in the manor, from a kitchen boy or something. Pallo glanced at her, before pausing and turning to face her. She caught a glimpse of the bird tattoo he had spread over his right collarbone, peeking out from underneath the thick straps of his tank-top.

"Miss J― I mean, Jinora? Something wrong?" Pallo placed folded his arm over the table so he could lean on it. The rest of the crew had adapted easily from calling her ma'am or Miss Jinora, but Pallo had been the exception. Old habits died hard, she supposed.

"Oh, no, it's nothing. I was just...Were you ever anything other than a footman, before?" she asked, almost hesitantly. Pallo didn't talk about his life as a servant very often, and he never sounded happy when he did. Most of the crew, she noticed, especially those that had been on the ship for so long, talked about their life as a pirate. A new life; a better one.

"Oh, no," Pallo gave her a small smile, and her slight nervousness ebbed away. "My mother was a cook though, and she always wanted to make sure I could feed myself. She worked in the same home I did, retired a few years before I left. We worked for the Gohn family."

The name rang a bell. "Gohn?" she repeated. "Gilee Gohn and her husband Rogon?"

"Yes," Pallo answered. "Ah, that's right. Lady Gilee was a Chow, wasn't she? Before she got married?"

"Yes," Jinora said faintly. "LingShi's aunt...we used to go over to her house for tea or dinners when I was young. I met LingShi there, when I was 16, but I was being courted by Lee at the time, so... I could have met you there and not realized it, if you were working there when was around 6...?"

"I think so, then. I would have been around 15 years old, I left the next year."

They were both just staring at each other, surprised by this strange connection―one that had once had them worlds apart, yet now they were working side by side. Jinora smiled a little. "I'm glad I met you again, properly."

Pallo returned it. "As am I, ma'a―Jinora." He scratched at his tattoo. "Old habits."

"It's alright," she assured him. "There were some good things about high society after all. Ingrained perfect posture, for one thing."

Pallo laughed. "Yeah..."

Jinora couldn't help but think about it sometimes, that all these wonderful men who had become some of the best friends she'd ever had, wouldn't have been in her life if she had stayed in the world she had been born into. Pallo would have been serving her tea; Tyyo likely would have pickpocketed her at one point; Kai would have remained nothing more than a distant, meaningless name in the papers. Yet she hadn't stayed in that world, instead choosing another one. Jinora knew at that moment, no matter how her life turned out, she'd never regret this choice.

"Excuse me, but you can chop _and_ talk at the same time," Daw admonished them, but it was ruined by the small smile on his thin face.

Jinora and Pallo both grinned rather sheepishly. "Yes, sir."

They didn't work silently after that, Pallo and Daw comparing cooking stories while Jinora told them some of the mishaps she had gotten herself into (and how she'd gotten away with them). Then again, Jinora reconsidered, maybe she had more in common with her fellow crew than she realized. Even if they had been born into less than ideal circumstances ―surely less ideal than hers― they had still chosen to make a new life as a pirate, and hadn't she done the same?

She belonged here. And so did her child, who'd be a perfect mix of both worlds.

Otaku came by with her parents' letter, confirming the date for the newest visit, which happily fall alongside her meeting with her girl friends from secondary school. She could tell them all of her pregnancy in one day and get the initial reaction over with, and never have to worry about her child growing up in the same world she had. Her child would face problems, but not the same one, and they'd have a whole bunch of uncles to help with anything that came up.

Her child would never have to deal with LingShi Chow.

It was a comforting thought that helped her fall asleep that night, with Kai's arms wrapped around her.

* * *

"Captain Sono?"

Lee looked up from his desk to find his newest officer, Miken, in the doorway and looking oddly nervous. She was Gow's replacement, fresh from the APA Academy, and still finding her bearings, but she was a hard worker. "Yes, Miken?" His office was tidy, papers delicately tucked away and organized; he hadn't become one of the youngest Captains for nothing.

"There's a man named LingShi Chow here to see you, Captain, I told him he needed to schedule an appointment ahead of time, but he refuses to listen―" Miken rambled, tugging nervously on the end of her long ponytail.

"It's alright Miken, you can send him in, I'm not busy at the moment," Lee told her, and she looked thoroughly relieved.

"Okay, sir, I'll go get him, just a moment..." Miken scurried from the doorway, and Lee cleared away his paperwork. He knew who LingShi Chow was ―everyone did, or at least knew of the Chows, one of the richest families in Republic City, richer than even the Governor, who his father Asun Chow was running against― but what interested him most was that LingShi had been engaged to Jinora. And Jinora had said he beat her.

So, of course, Lee hated him on principle.

LingShi practically swaggered into the room, brimming with arrogance, but a kind of tense anger simmering underneath his dark eyes, his dark hair neatly groomed. "Captain Sono. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Please," Lee said tightly. "Have a seat."

LingShi stayed standing, however, ignoring the plush armchair set across Lee's desk. "No, thank you. The business I want to discuss is quick. As I'm sure you know, I have a certain score to settle with Captain Kai of the Waterbender."

Lee tried to look surprised. He had seen the vandalization of LingShi's house in the papers, and then saw big letters announcing LingShi's offered award. "I've heard of such a thing, yes," Lee answered carefully. "However as the Captain of the APA's Republic City Division, I must focus on all pirates within the area, not just―"

"I was hoping to request that if any information comes through, I can be alerted. After all, he damaged my home, kidnapped my fiancée and then promptly seduced her, bringing disgrace to both of our families."

"Mr. Chow, I'm afraid I'm not allowed to reveal information to citizens for fear it may get leaked and tip pirates off," Lee explained.

LingShi's black eyes glittered. "Oh? I'm sure that Kuvira BeiFong would be willing to make an exception, as I am one of the APA's top donors, and I shall promise to keep my lips sealed. I want to see that monster captured as much as you do, I'm sure. He's a thief and a menace."

Lee frowned. If Kuvira gave the go-ahead, there wasn't anything Lee could do to stop it... Not that he particularly hated the idea of seeing Kai behind bars ―tragic past or not, he was still a pirate, and a criminal, and alright, maybe there was a little jealousy there too― but he did know it would devastate Jinora, and he did hate that... "Mr. Chow, I assure you that the APA is doing everything we can to capture Captain Kai―"

"I would hope so." LingShi smiled, and it made Lee's stomach churn. "You courted Ms. Gyatso once, didn't you?"

"Yes," Lee said tartly. He clenched his jaw slightly. "When we were young."

"Ah, but aren't we still young?" LingShi said, his smile widening.

Lee sighed. "Mr. Chow, I don't see how this is relevant to the matter at hand. The fact of the matter is that at such times, you can offer all the money you want for the pirate's capture, but you are not permitted to have a hand in the actual act―"

"I disagree, Captain Sono," LingShi replied. "He stole something of mine. A treasured belonging. I do not appreciate such theft, and I shall not rest until I see it safely returned to me. Ms. Gyatso may have disgraced herself by becoming a pirate's whore, but she is still _mine_."

Lee got to his feet, feeling slightly sick. "Mr. Chow―"

"It appears our business is finished, here, Captain," LingShi gave him a sickly sweet smile, and then turned on his heel and left, leaving the office door wide open.

Lee got up and slammed it. Bastard. He then went back to his desk, and pulled out two pieces of parchment, one for a letter to Jinora, who surely needed to know about LingShi's inquiry, and one for a letter to Kuvira. Maybe if he intervened he could stop LingShi before it began.

Maybe.


	15. The Wedding

**A/N: The minuet is a social dance of French origin bc i needed fancy dances. The wedding song is "For the Dancing and the Dreaming" from the Dreamworks movie How To Train Your Dragon 2, composed by John Powell and Jónsi, performed in the movie by Gerard Butler, (briefly) Craig Ferguson, and Mary Jane Wells. I own no part of it.**

* * *

COMPASS

Chapter Fifteen: The Wedding

* * *

Imaru was the one on lookout when it happened.

The rest of the crew had gone to bed three hours earlier, Yung being the last to finally turn in, and wouldn't have to get up for another five hours or so. Imaru had been resigning himself to a quiet night on lookout, which was ideal, even if it was a little boring, as he pulled a blanket tighter around his shoulders. Even if it was truly spring, the nights could still be a little chilly. He glanced down at his empty mug of coffee for a moment, and then back up, squinting through the dark.

That's when he had seen it: the dark wooden hull of the Dai Li's ship rising through the gloom, headed straight towards them.

"Shit."

Imaru scrambled down the rope grid as quick as he could, rushing below deck. He banged on the walls of either side of the sleeping quarters corridor, poking his head into each room. "DAI LI!" he bellowed. A few candles were quickly being lit as some members of his crew woke up, before he carried on his way towards the Captain's quarters, pounding on that door too. "Cap? Jinora? The Dai Li are on their way!"

Kai sat up groggily, dragging a hand down his face. "W-what?" he mumbled, but heard more banging around, and his reflexes snapped him awake. He quickly dragged himself out of bed, doing up his pants and pulling on a fresh shirt, hastily tying his sword belt around his hips. Jinora sat up far more slowly, blinking the sleep out of her eyes.

"Captain?" Jinora started getting out of bed, and Kai threw her robe at her.

"Dai Li," he said, finishing up with his belt. "I'll send Imaru and Appa down to stay with you in the cabin boy's room."

Jinora hastily wrapped her robe ―a long, thin cloth Imaru had sewn for her a while ago― around her, grabbing the pirate's wrist when he went to head out the door and join the fighting that was surely either already happening, or going to start any minute. "Be careful, Kai," she said softly, her eyes wide and trembling as she looked at him.

Kai kissed her briefly. "I'll be fine, Jin. Promise."

Slowly, she let go of his wrist. "You better." Kai left the door open as he left, and Jinora grabbed her own sword belt before headed out into the hall. Appa and Imaru were already making their way towards her, grave faced. "What's happening on deck? Are the Dai Li―"

"Haven't boarded yet," Appa told her. "Not sure if they're going to, actually. C'mon Jinora, let's get you to the cabin boy's room."

It wasn't particularly a trek, since the cabin boy's room was only a few feet away. As she entered, she took in what had been done so far to prepare it as a nursery: the storage boxes had been removed, and the crib Po and Nidhi were working on was nearly done, tucked away in the corner. They'd need to build or buy a new dresser for the baby as well, and Imaru was doing his best to learn how to make baby clothes, and had started sewing blankets and a rug for the baby to play on.

It gave her a sense of peace, to know that this had once been both her and Kai's rooms, and would now be their child's. The first time she had stood in this room, she had been an angry, disgruntled woman, cursing the name of every god who had let her end up as a pirate's hostage. Now, she was carrying that pirate's child, and she couldn't have been happier about it.

Well, maybe she could have been, since it was preventing her from fighting side by side with the rest of her crew, but she understood why Kai had insisted. Hell, she could admit that he was right. But still... she hated having to sit by and do nothing, unable to help or know if everyone else was safe.

Jinora sat down on the floor and leaned against the wall, resting a hand on her swollen belly. The baby bump would be too big to hide with baggy clothing soon, and she didn't even want to think about what would happen if the press caught wind of it before she told her parents. At least there were only two weeks until she'd meet them on Air Temple Island.

She and Kai had decided to tell them in the morning when they arrived, and then Jinora had scheduled to go out for lunch with her friends from secondary school, a convenient way out if things got tense. Kai would go into town on his own with the rest of the crew, and Jinora would meet him back at the ferry that travelled in between the island and the mainland. Her friends would come by again the next day to the Gyatso mansion to meet him properly.

And then, at some point over the weekend, Kai would get to receive his birth records, and learn all those things he never thought he would know. Jinora wondered if his birthday had already passed. They could still always throw a party anyway...

God, if anything happened to him up on deck, she'd―

"Kai will be fine, Jinora," Imaru assured her. "It's hardly his first fight."

"You know what he's like though," Jinora frowned, glancing down when she saw Mouse rubbing against her leg. She picked up the kitten ―who was growing rapidly every week― into her lap.

"Which is why we try to watch his back as much as we can," Imaru replied simply. "It may not be in the official chore rotation, but Yung makes sure one of us is always on 'Kai-duty' during raids. I thought you knew."

"No. But I suppose that means Captain doesn't either?" she guessed.

Appa grunted. "Might suspect. Yung's been good at keeping it on the down-low, even as he got older. He put it in place during Kai's first real raid and it's carried through ever since."

"Yung used to make Kai stay down below deck too, but once he started learning swordfighting, Zaheer insisted that Kai had to," Imaru made quotation marks with his fingers, "pull his own weight. Kai was around 10 or 11. And Yung, being well, Yung―"

"Worried just the right amount," Jinora said with a small smile, scratching the back of Mouse's ears.

Imaru cracked a grin and nodded. "Just about, yeah."

"I can't blame him," Appa said gruffly. "Or Kai, for worrying about you. Kids drive you crazy; you know what Momo's like. I remember when my sister Meilin was pregnant, I got a leave of absence and stayed with her for nearly a year. Her...Momo's father had left as soon as he'd found out she was pregnant, y'see." Appa's expression soured, and Imaru placed a hand on his shoulder.

"My friend Pfannee Wen ended up in a similar situation too," Jinora said softly, and the corners of Appa's mouth lifted.

"It's shitty how good people get left," Appa said, and then sighed heavily. "I worried so much about Meilin. Being a single mother ain't easy of course ―not that parenthood's ever all that easy, mind you. I visited as much as I could, helped with the bills. Momo was around five when he met Cap for the first time, of course Kai was around 10 at the time so he was pretty private, even if was after what...what happened in Paradise."

"He told me," Jinora replied, biting her lip as she grinned. The picture of a 5-year-old Momo, wide eyes set in a face with chubby cheeks, and a scrawny 10-year-old Kai, unsure but really starting to opening up; it was adorable in more ways than one.

But now, she remembered, both young men were up on deck, fighting, but hopefully not fighting for their lives.

Indeed, it had taken more than a few minutes for the Dai Li to board, and less for Kai to realize that there wasn't enough time for _the Waterbender_ to make a speedy escape ―not that any other ship would have been able to consider such a thing, after all, they weren't known as one of the fastest ships on the seas for nothing.

Instead, Kai had drew his sword with the rest of his crew following suit, and the fight had began.

Now, Kai could tell it was coming to an end, his crew scattered throughout the decks of both their ship and the Dai Li's. Not having Appa or Imaru's size and strength had made things a little harder, but his men continually proved they were more than capable, both individually and as a whole. Lefty was bashing men's heads into _the Waterbender_ 's railing, or into each other's skulls; Skoochy and Ryu were fighting back to back, and Pabu was heading over to help Momo with a particularly nasty pirate; Longshot was near the steering wheel with Bansi, wrapping bandages around the musician's arm while Nidhi and Po made sure nobody came close; Tyyo and Zedd were using the high ground of the rope grid and swiping at the Dai Li's arms and necks. The Dai Li was being beaten back, especially when Daw knocked a man unconscious by nailing him in the face with a frying pan.

Yet Kai still hadn't seen the Dai Li's captain, Long Feng.

"I don't like this," Kai muttered to Yung, as soon as Kai had knocked out three men with one well-aimed swipe of the flat side of his sword, and a kick to the largest one's stomach. His eyes roamed the deck, looking for any of his crew that may have needed help, keeping tabs on where everyone was. "Where is he?"

"Easy Cap," Yung said, and then parried a pirate's strike away from Kai's shoulder. They took the man down together easily with a stab wound to the side, and he scurried off back to his own ship like a dog with its tail between its legs. "Maybe it's a good thing he's not―"

"It's been a long time, hasn't it, boy?"

Kai whirled around to see Long Feng stepping over the Waterbender's railing, with a sneer on his face. And, Kai thought with a rush of satisfaction, an eye patch: the rumours of him having taken out the Captain's eye was true.

Kai smirked a little. "Yeah. You've looked better. Although I expect looking at yourself in a mirror is a little trickier now."

Long Feng scowled at him. "Where's your girlfriend? She had the sense to leave you? Too bad, I wouldn't mind running her through―"

Kai slashed his sword but Long Feng managed to side step, clearly not as keen to be taken off guard as last time and lose his other eye. "I'll take out your other eye you piece of―" Soon, their blades were clashing, parrying and striking at equal fervour. Kai had fought Long Feng before, so he wasn't particularly worried, or at least he shouldn't have been. But the last time Long Feng had been on his ship, Jinora had taken a knife for him. Prickles of fear crept up the back of his neck as he alternated between focusing on the fight at hand, and the struggles of his crew around him.

"Yung," Kai said, before his first mate could begin to intervene. "Go help Momo." He and Pabu were having a hard time against one of the Dai Li, even working together.

"Cap―"

"Go. _Now_."

Yung was reluctant, but he withdrew his sword and fished out his knife instead as he jogged over to where the couple was. Kai chanced a look in their direction, and saw that Ryu and Nukko were forcing the Dai Li back onto their own ship. The battle was nearly over, and the crew of _The Waterbender_ was clearly victorious. (Again.)

Kai felt Long Feng's blade graze his arm, tearing open the sleeve of his shirt and piercing skin, and cursed for his momentary distraction. Kai quickly parried the other Captain's sword and shoved him backwards; Long Feng stumbled. Kai kicked him hard in the ribs, going to stab downwards in the gut when Long Feng blocked his strike and scrambled to his feet. Kai let out another string of curse words.

"I'd be more than happy to take out your other eye," Kai growled, "but I might let you keep it, if you get off my ship."

"I'll have to decline," Long Feng said with a sneer.

"Why're you here anyway?" Kai asked. "You know by now you can't beat my men, you're just wasting your men's lives."

"There's a certain payment I'm hoping to collect that's worth much more," Long Feng said. Before Kai could ask what the rival pirate meant, he heard a scream of pain, and his head whipped around to see Nukko falling to his knees.

Blood was rushing down Nukko's arm ―a deep, long cut all along the upper length of his arm― but the Dai Li responsible didn't get any further before Skoochy was on him like a rabid dog, snarling and slashing with his knife. Disorientated and bleeding nearly as much as Nukko, the Dai Li pirate rushed backwards along with the rest of the crew. Kai spared Long Feng a look, and saw the Captain had followed his men's lead and was sprinting away, looking far too pleased with himself.

Kai didn't even have time to be angry, instead making a beeline for Nukko. Longshot, bless him, was already there on his knees, pulling out bandages to at least quell the bleeding. "How bad is it?" Kai managed, but Longshot didn't reply, too concentrated on stopping the flow of blood.

"Answer him!" Bansi looked stricken, down on his knees on Nukko's other side. Bansi had always been stringy, but he looked positively small and timid in the wake of so much blood leaving his friend's body.

"He'll live," Longshot said, an edge in his voice. "But let's not take any chances. A vein might've been punctured. Lefty, can you take him?"

"Leg might not take the extra weight," Lefty said sourly, but he held open his arms anyway.

Kai lowered Lefty's arms. "Nah. Skoochy, help me." Together, he and Skoochy picked up Nukko's body, his darker complexion rapidly becoming paler, as the hastily applied bandages to his arm were turning red with blood. "Rest of you, get this ship ready to sail, we're getting out of here!"

Jinora heard them coming down the stairs, and Appa poked his head out into the hallway as the crew quickly came down, turning towards the direction of the infirmary. "Fight's over," he reported. "But someone's hurt, badly, I guess."

Jinora's heart caught in her throat. "Kai?"

"Dunno. C'mon, let's go see."

Imaru was the last out of the soon-to-be-nursery room, shutting the door behind him as Appa led the way to the infirmary. Jinora could feel the ship rocking as the Waterbender shuddered and slowly began to move forwards. The door of the infirmary was ajar and Appa pushed it open without hesitation.

Jinora saw Kai, his white shirt stained with blood near his shoulder and stomach, and her own stomach dropped. "Kai―" She grasped at the sleeves of his shirt.

"Not mine," he murmured. "Most of it, anyway."

That was when she caught sight of Nukko, lying down on the infirmary bed while Longshot cleaned and then applied pressure to the wound. Not for the first time, Jinora was grateful Longshot knew so much about various injuries, and knew how to expertly treat them. "Will he be alright?" she said worriedly.

"Yeah," Kai said.

"Then the blood is?"

"Mostly his. I did get a little cut up, but I'm fi―"

"Let me see," Jinora said, and without waiting for a response, she started undoing the few buttons of his shirt that was actually undone before sliding it off his shoulders, careful to avoid agitating his injured arm. Jinora made him sit down, and then carefully cleaned the same cut Long Feng had given him. By now, she had gotten used to patching Kai up when he got injured and Longshot was busier with another crew member. "You're lucky this isn't deeper," she scolded, and Kai rolled his eyes. His frown faded as she ran her fingers gently through his hair. "I'm lucky this isn't deeper."

Kai managed a tiny smile. "Guess so..." Once Jinora had finished patching him up, Kai craned his neck to look over where Longshot was re-bandaging Nukko's wound, now having cleaned properly. "Are we distracting you?"

"Cap, you're in here enough that it might as well be your second room," Longshot said dryly.

Kai snorted, but Jinora frowned. "Not funny, Captain," she said sternly, and he immediately sobered up.

"We should go see how things are up on deck, I'll send Bansi down," said Kai, rising from the stool. Skoochy got up alongside him, the former slave's shirt much less bloody. "Any other injuries? Damage to the ship?"

"Nothing beyond bruises or scrapes," Skoochy reported. "As for damages, nothing I could see, although Po and Nidhi will know better, so we can ask them."

Kai nodded. Why the Dai Li insisted on attacking them, he had never quite been able to understand. Yeah, sure, some of their deals under Zaheer had turned nasty, back when the man had been capture, and yeah, Kai had given Long Feng the finger when he was 17, sealing their bad blood, but honestly... The Dai Li knew they couldn't win, so why had they come? They hadn't even managed to steal anything, since Appa and Imaru had said nobody had come down below deck.

 _There's a certain payment I'm hoping to collect that's worth much more_ , Long Feng had said. So what exactly was that payment? Kai's stomach squirmed. Quil, maybe? Or Hama, another slave trader? Or one of his other enemies?

Up on deck, the crew were manning the sails, or patching each other up, having hauled an ice box up to have something cold against bruises, but everyone seemed mostly unharmed. And everyone was alive, and that was what really mattered. Kai walked around the ship with Po and Nidhi, the two carpenters stating that there had been no damage even with the strain of weight on the railing. Gazing at the horizon, the Dai Li's ship had vanished, not even a speck on the horizon.

It was around four o'clock in the morning when Kai ordered everyone to get some rest, although he did request for Appa and Imaru to hang back. Jinora hovered in the doorway, looking back at him in surprise. "I'll be coming soon," he assured, and she nodded.

She and Skoochy were the last ones in, as Skoochy stamped out his cigarette before closing the door. Meanwhile, Appa and Imaru looked expectantly at Kai.

"Just wanted to ask about Gyatso," he admitted. "Did she seem okay? Stressed at all?" Stress wasn't good for the baby, even as they entered the fourth month, officially out of the miscarriage danger zone.

"A little stressed," Imaru said. "But overall she was okay. Appa managed to calm her down."

Kai gave Appa an appreciative look, as the giant of a man asked, "Momo seemed a little shaken. Any reason why?"

"He and Pabu were fighting off a pretty nasty Dai Li," Kai explained. "And you know how Momo is." Appa nodded, understanding. "He'll be back to drooling on people's shoulders in no time...but I'm sure it couldn't hurt to check up on him." Kai smiled a little at them.

"C'mon," said Imaru. "Let's get some rest. Tomorrow's a big day."

Kai knew he was right; preparations for the wedding would be starting, and Imaru had one of the biggest jobs of all, using a simple white dress and some fabric materials to turn into a wedding gown.

"You two go on ahead," Kai told them, grinning. "I'll catch up in a sec."

Imaru and Appa exchanged a glance, but headed inside anyway, as Kai looked back at his ship, cloaked in the shadows and the moonlight. The deck and the crow's nest was empty, and they had anchored for what little remained of the night.

Maybe it was because Nukko had been injured (even if he was recovering), but mostly it was because of what Long Feng had said. What payment? Of course, the Dai Li were cowardly little weirdos, and Long Feng was a spineless bastard, and there was no way to know what he had meant. Hell, it might not even amount to anything, and there was no point in worrying about it that night.

Besides, Imaru was right. Tomorrow would be a big day, especially since he and Jinora were going to begin learning the song and dance for their wedding―individually, of course. Kai sighed, and ran a hand through his hair, before finally heading below deck.

* * *

Jinora had grown up learning how to waltz, how to dance the minuet, she had even been enrolled in ballet as a young girl, although she had never possessed a passion for it. Dancing with the crew, and with Kai was boisterous, disorganized, and utterly wonderful. There was never any rhyme or reason, much less any traditions about it. She had never given much thought to traditional dances of the lower class, much less _pirate_ dancing.

That was before she heard the lyrics, and her heart caught in her throat. "Who knew pirates were such romantics?" she said softly, and Lefty grinned gently at her once he had finished singing. His voice was low and gruff, but hardly unpleasant.

"It's an old tradition, even older tune," Lefty explained. "I've attended a few pirate weddings ―how my ma and pop got married too, since they were both pirates themselves. The verses alternate, and then you and Kai will sing the last one together, but the song really is a duet, beautiful too. Bansi's teaching you the lyrics this afternoon, but we'll work on the dance this morning, and then practice regularly. Now, c'mon darlin', let's get started."

Jinora tugged on her hair; it was longer than it used to be, but still curled just above her shoulders. "I don't know Lefty, most upper class dances are pretty slow, and shouldn't I be giving Imaru my measurements to make the dress―?"

Lefty chuckled and took Jinora's hand. "If a man with only one leg can do it, then so can you, little miss. Imaru's already got measurements, this isn't the first time he's made clothes for you." Which was true; her favourite blue blouse had been made by Imaru's deft sewing and skill. He would need to take new measurements though, to accomodate her growing baby bump."'Sides, he wants to keep it surprise until the actual day. We'll go slow, promise. Just follow me, okay?"

Jinora smiled. In some ways, Lefty reminded her of her Uncle Bumi, as both were rather eccentric, even if Lefty was a tad, okay a lot, more crude (even if it added to his strange sort of charm). "Alright." Lefty showed her how to hold her arm up, first her right, then she'd switch to her left, mirroring her partner by walking clockwise, and then switching directions when she switched arms. "Will you be teaching Captain as well?"

"The basics, yeah," Lefty answered, raising her arm up a smidgen higher. "But good ol' Yung will be his practicing partner." They shared a smile at the thought. "Now, let's run through the first steps again, shall we?"

By lunch, Jinora felt she had a pretty good handle on the steps; they were fairly simple, even if some of the fancier footwork was throwing her off. Lefty was a good teacher, patient too. She wondered if Kai had started learning, and if he had, if it was going as well for him. He was below decks working hard with Otaku; having Pabu's sister's wedding to plan for, as well as the baby, meant a lot of rearranging and planning for their budget and overall profits, after all.

She found her fiancé after lunch in their bedroom, and wrapped her arms loosely around him from behind. "How are you feeling, love?" she asked, as Kai placed one hand over hers, the other going instinctively to the swell of her stomach.

"Okay." Kai turned his head slightly to smile at her. "Just running numbers, math's just not my strong suit I guess. What about you? Lefty's pegleg hasn't stepped on your feet, has it?" He grinned.

Jinora laughed and rested her forehead against his shoulderblade. "No, actually. I think I'm getting the hang of it." She squeezed his hand. "Only twelve days."

"Well, if we're going by official tradition, we've been married ever since we made love for the first time," Kai said, shifting so he could hold her in his arms. "And I did want to marry you then. I think it's a good thing we waited, though."

Jinora raised her eyebrows, but her smile remained. "You do?"

"We've grown since then. We're better, stronger. Together and apart. I think it'll make whatever comes our way easier, don't you?" Jinora immediately knew he was right. The past seven months had only strengthened them, giving them a chance to settle into every day life and their relationship. "And this way," Kai added, "the public's a lot less interested in us then they used to be." He could feel her stomach pressing into his. "Until someone finds out about the baby, of course."

"Tell me Captain, do you think it's immoral for a pregnant woman or new mother to give a nosy reporter the finger?" Jinora smirked, and Kai laughed.

"Not at all, Gyatso."

"Then I don't think we'll have a problem." She leaned up and kissed him, shaping her mouth tenderly over his before drawing away. "I really want fruit tarts," she said suddenly, and Kai frowned.

"Pregnancy cravings?" he guessed, but she didn't answer.

"Do you think Daw has any?"

"Gyatso, I―"

"I'm going to go check."

Kai watched her leave their quarters with a sigh. Daw probably didn't, or at least not many, and Jinora's wrath when it came to cravings was something to be reckoned with. Yet he still wanted nothing more than to marry her in any way he could, and hopefully this baby would be the first of many. (Maybe not many, but maybe three? Four? However many she wanted, really.)

Not for the first time, Kai knew he was a very lucky man.

* * *

"Gyatso," Kai asked her one day after lunch, "do you want to wait and have your parents there?" They were the last two at the table, enjoying some time alone. Ironically enough, since they were busy preparing and learning their dances and writing their vows―things they could only do separately―they hadn't spent as much time as they were used to.

Jinora kept her gaze on the table, hesitating before answering; not thinking about her actual answer, but how to say it. He felt a spike of worry. "Gyatso?" he prodded gently, coming up behind her and resting his hand over hers. His breath was warm on her neck.

"No. I mean, I do, but I―it's simpler without them," she said softly. "Easier. Isn't that terrible for me to say?"

Kai shushed her, pulling her into his arms. "You could never be terrible." He ran his hands up and down her arms in an attempt to soothe her. "It's okay for you to feel that way. You know how I feel about your parents. Your father especially. It stresses me out when I'm around them...I think I get why you might feel the same way."

"My father still looks down on you," she said, resting her forehead against the crook of his neck. "My mother likes you, but she also feels sorry for you, and I know you don't want any pity..."

Kai pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "Hey, I thought we were talking about you, not me?"

Jinora snorted a little. "Well, you're a part of me. Literally, now." She placed a hand on her stomach. "And I know you're already stressed enough, I don't want to add onto it."

Kai pulled away to look her in the eye. "But is that the reason you don't want them to come?" he said slowly. "Because of me?"

"No," she said quickly. "No, it's for myself too...I'm still trying to figure how I can have both parts, y'know? My old life and my new. My family and my crew. I need a little more time. But I know the baby is going to help with that. After all, they'll be the best parts of both of us." She smiled up at him, her fingers gently touching his jaw. "I'm okay, Love."

Kai seemed satisfied with her answer. "Okay. No pregnancy cravings either? Nausea? Mood swings?"

Jinora chuckled. "No. I'm good, taking it easy this afternoon. Po and Nidhi wanted to show me the finishing touches of the crib. And you, Captain, have dance practice with your first mate, so get going. I won't have you being late on my watch."

Kai pecked her on the cheek before grinning at her. "'Course not, love. I'll come find you before dinner, alright?"

"Not if I find you first," she smiled, giving him a quick kiss before he headed out the door.

* * *

"I can't believe our wedding is in two days."

Kai looked up from the documents he had been reading (some financial stuff Otaku and he hadn't finished going over that afternoon) and saw Jinora had set her newest novel aside. The crew had gotten into a routine of retiring for the day a little earlier, still recovering from the Dai Li attack a week before. Just sitting, relaxing in bed with Jinora while they each did their own thing, was another piece of bliss that Kai had grown to appreciate.

The past week or so had been busy in the most wonderful way. Jinora's simple wedding dress was done, even if Imaru wasn't letting anyone see it before hand. The dance moves and song lyrics, although they still made Kai nervous, had been successfully drilled into him by Yung and Lefty, and he was fairly certain he wasn't going to mess up. Daw had all the ingredients put together for a cake, as well as Kai's favourite dessert, moonpeach pie. He and Jinora had decided to create their own vows, and Kai just hoped that hers wouldn't outshine his too much. Jinora's pregnancy cravings had died down, and they were on schedule (and ahead of profit, to boot) for their journey back to Republic City. Kai knew that at some point, Appa had talked to Momo, who was as chipper and happily tearful as ever. Everything was going exactly as it should have been, for once, which was a big relief. In fact, they had been so busy, Kai had barely any time to give any thought to Long Feng's strange claim.

"I can," the pirate replied happily. "When Yung's not rehearsing the song with me, he keeps talking about trying to preserve the," Kai made quotation marks with his fingers, "'myth of my virginity' and all that."

Jinora snorted as she reached down to run her fingers over his. "He must know that ship sailed a long time ago."

Kai grinned at her. "And you're the only one on it, now."

Jinora smirked at him. "Of course, Captain. You're mine, and I will gladly tell anyone who suggests otherwise."

Kai chuckled, the low rumble of his chest filling her with a kind of satisfied joy. "Good..." he leaned over and kissed her briefly, before pulling away. "It's too bad I'm not getting my birth records before, though."

"Do you want to wait?" Jinora said quickly, but Kai immediately shook his head.

"No, it's just...Do you mind that I don't have a last name to give you?"

"No," she said simply. "I fell in love with you, not a surname. Besides, if I took your nonexistent last name, you couldn't exactly call me Gyatso anymore could you? I'd miss it. That being said, if you wanna take your mom's surname, I'd be happy to have it as my own too."

Kai smiled softly at her, a light happiness in his eyes as he gazed tenderly at her. "No, it's alright Jin. It... After going so long without having one, it'd feel weird to suddenly have it, y'know? People know me as the Captain of the _Waterbender_ , or as your scandalous lover," he gave her a joking smoulder, and she dissolved into giggles. "That's enough for me."

"And you're enough from me," she assured her, her grin softening. "Seriously, though, how _are_ you feeling Captain? I know when we see my parents we'll have a lot to talk about, with the wedding and the baby, and your birth records. I just want to make sure it's not too much."

"I'll be okay," Kai promised her. "Really. Even if those things make me nervous...they're happy things." He smiled again before yawning. "You make me so happy. You know that right?"

"Yes," Jinora said fondly. "And I also know that you're tired, so let's get some sleep."

Kai leaned over and snuffed out their candle, before lying down beside her and gently pulling her into her arms. "Love you," he mumbled.

Her voice was heavy with sleep as she replied, "Love you too."

* * *

The night before the wedding, Yung told Kai that he and Jinora would not be sleeping in the same room; Kai balked at him. "What? Why?"

"Tradition," Yung explained. "It's bad luck seeing the bride before the wedding, you know. I thought you wanted this to be as traditional as possible."

"Well, yeah, but―" Kai broke off seeing the look on Yung's face. "Yeah, okay," he said sullenly. "Fine. You know, some traditions shouldn't be upheld when they're obsolete."

"Jinora really has rubbed off on you," Yung said affectionately, reaching up to ruffle Kai's hair. "Or at least on your vocabulary. It's mostly for the morning prep, Cap. She'll be sleeping in the cabin boy's room just for the night, and Imaru's helping her with the dress tomorrow, and anyone else who knows a thing or two about hair and fanciness. Pabu'll be taking lots of pictures too. Speaking of which, Ryu finished up laundry early, so you and the rest of us will all be looking our best tomorrow and―Kai? Everything alright?"

"Yeah," Kai said quickly, his smile looking strained. It faded in sight of Yung's stern look. "I just really appreciate how much effort's everyone has put in, and... am I... Am I doing the right thing?"

Yung's brow furrowed. "What d'you mean?"

Kai sighed and looked away from him. "I know it's not legal, but if―but if it was, am I... She deserves better, doesn't she?"

Yung frowned, his eyes full of understanding. "Better as in a legal marriage, or better as in someone better than a pirate Captain?"

"Both?" Kai tried weakly, and this time Yung sighed.

"Kai, unless she came from a background even worse than yours, or a poorer family than ours, you would always think she deserved better, and even then..." Yung's hand fell on his shoulder. "Kid, look at me, would you?" Frowning, Kai reluctantly lifted his gaze to meet Yung's even one. "I know you just as well as you know yourself, better than, probably, since you're way too hard on yourself. Nobody knows your faults better than I do, kiddo."

"This is supposed to be making me feel better?" Kai muttered, rolling his eyes. Yung just smiled at him.

"My point is, Kai, is that Jinora makes you happy, and you make her happy, and I know, just like you do, deep down, that you deserve this happiness. You deserve every happiness Kai, trust me, you do. You've suffered enough, hell you never should have had to have suffered at all." Yung's eyes grew watery. "Trust me, kiddo. I've seen a lot of wrong things in this world, but you and Jinora have never been, and never will be, one of 'em." Yung squeezed his shoulder.

"We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you," Kai said, smiling at him.

Yung nodded. "I know."

Kai ducked his head and laughed. He could still remember Yung asking him for grandchildren, back when Kida had been on the ship and he had been adamantly denying his feelings for Jinora. Had that really only been eight months ago? It felt like a lifetime, sometimes. "Thank you, Yung."

"Of course. You're my kid, aren't you?"

Kai's eyes softened and he pulled Yung into a hug, stooping to rest his chin on the man's shoulder. "Yeah. I am."

* * *

It seemed even the night before his wedding, Kai would always be a restless sleeper. Getting used to sharing a bed with Jinora and suddenly not having her there didn't help matters either, nor did the excitement building in his chest. Kai woke up when the sky was still pink, even as it was rapidly turning to blue. As they were anchored for the day, the rest of the crew would be sleeping in. Feeling jittery, Kai got out of bed, seeing the creased pants and white shirt Yung had laid out for him. But that was for later...Kai had a good fifteen minutes before anyone else should be getting up.

Kai quietly crept out of his room, to a few feet down to where Jinora was staying, and knocked lightly on her door. "Gyatso?" he whispered.

The door of the room that used to be his, used to be hers, and that would now be their child's, opened a crack. "Captain," Jinora admonished, not sounding tired at all (clearly, she had been awake as long as he had). "You're not supposed to see me―"

"You don't sound very unhappy about it," Kai remarked, and he could perfectly picture his wife-to-be rolling her eyes on the other side of the door. "And, I'm technically not seeing you. I'm talking to you. There's a loophole to everything. And rules are made to broken, I'm a pirate, remember?"

"You're a man who cuddles kittens, so how could I forget?" Jinora said dryly, and Kai grinned, even as Jinora fell silent. He heard the soft sound of her fingernails against wood and knew she was resting one hand on her side of the door, and he did the same.

"How're you feeling?" he asked quietly. "I know I'm a little nervous..."

"Me too," she whispered. "But mostly excited. I―I can't wait to be your wife, Kai. Even if it's just real for us."

Kai's grin softened. "I'm glad. I love you, you know? So, so much. I didn't even know I had this much love in me to give until you came along."

Jinora felt tears prick in her eyes. "I thought we were saving our vows for the altar," she teased, and Kai chuckled softly.

"I hope you like them. My vows, I mean. I know I'll like yours."

"Yours will be wonderful."

There was a creak: the door to the left room of the crew's main sleeping quarters was opening. Kai quickly whispered, "Love you," and waited just long enough to hear Jinora say it back before she shut the door and he quickly went back to his own quarters, slipping inside.

He placed a hand on his chest, over his heart, wondering how she still managed to make it beat so fast after all this time.

Kai of course knew the answer, when he saw her in her wedding dress up on deck: he was completely, utterly, thoroughly, in love with her. Her hair had been pulled into elegant ringlets of dark chocolate curls that spilled over the nape of her neck. Her dress was fairly simple, little decorations of lace adorning her waist line, while the main white fabric of the dress, shimmering and plain at the same time, ended just below her collarbone. Her collar, shoulders, and sleeves were made up of more intricately woven white lace, and Kai briefly wondered how many hours of skillful sewing Imaru had put into his beautiful creation.

He and the rest of the crew were far less pleasingly dressed. All of them were wearing pants that didn't have any holes in them, himself wearing a pair of dark slacks. His shirt, like the others, was one that had never been torn, nor had any stains (beer or blood or otherwise) on it, buttoned all the way up to his throat.

He and Jinora just stared at each other for a moment, her engagement ring glittering on her finger, the same spark of light shining in her eyes. The crew stood on either side of them, watching expectantly with broad grins on their faces.

Kai took a deep breath as Jinora came to stand only an arm's length away from him, knowing what came next: the dance. Kai took a deep breath, before whistling a simple melodic tune, letting the notes carry out. There was a pause of silence, because now came the words. Kai swallowed hard before beginning; singing with no music and everyone's eyes on him (even if it was just his crew) was nerve-wracking. He felt so exposed, but he took another deep breath and just focused on Jinora. This was for her, and this was worth it.

"I'll swim and sail on savage seas, with ne'er a fear of drowning, and gladly ride the waves of life, if you would marry me," he sang, managing a tiny smile even as his voice wavered slightly, but he knew that he had this, that all of Yung's hard work both in helping them be together, and in teaching him his part of the song, hadn't gone to waste.

"No scorching sun, nor freezing cold, will stop me on my journey," he continued, giving Jinora's hand a squeeze before stepping back, and trying not to think too hard of the next steps. "If you will promise me your heart?"

Jinora's watery eyes met his, as her voice rang out soft and clear. "And love me for eternity." She raised one forearm up in a 45 degree angle, and he went to mirror her. "My dearest one, my darling dear, your mighty words astound me." She smiled shakily at him and he returned it, now feeling more confident, as they went in a mid-circle with their gently linked arms, before switching arms and directions.

The footwork was the trickier part, as they joined hands and then stepped in with opposite feet ―both of their lefts, but this way they wouldn't step on each other's toes, as Jinora continued to sing, growing in volume and confidence as both their smiles grew wider. This was their song; this was their day, and this was their love story.

"But I've no need for mighty deeds, when I feel your arms around me," she finished, beaming up at him, as they stopped moving their feet and he twirled her around.

"But I would bring you rings of gold, I'd even sing you poetry," he sang, a teasing lilt in his voice as he brought her back into his arms, and she giggled.

"Oh, would you?"

"And I would keep you from all harm," Kai said, squeezing her hands. "If you would stay beside me." They weaved in and out of each other, stepping forwards in opposite directions, even if Kai did a little misstep and accidentally bumped into her the first time, he was too happy to care as she kept on smiling at him, and started to sing her last verse.

"I have no use for rings of gold, I care not for your poetry." Her fingers, warm and soft, pressed firmly into his, an act of reassurance and a promise all in one. The riches of the life she had left behind had no appeal; she didn't care that he wasn't always the most romantic person. She loved him for everything that he was, everything that he had been, everything that he could be―and he loved her in the same. "I only want your hold to hold, I only want you near me!"

And now, for the first time, they could sing together as they spun each other around at a rapid pace, their hands and bodies each other's only anchor. "To love and kiss to sweetly hold, for the dancing and the dreaming, through all life's sorrows and delights, I'll keep your love inside me." Breathlessly, they stopped moving, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist as they came to a stop, her arms around his neck. Kai rested his forehead against hers, their voices turning soft. "I'll swim and sail on savage seas, with ne'er a fear of drowning, and gladly ride the waves of life... if you will marry me..."

Jinora let out a breathless little giggle, and warmth spread through Kai's chest knowing he was the source of her happiness. Although they had to wait until the ceremony was over to do so, Kai wanted to kiss her so badly, but contented himself with giving her hand a tight squeeze as the rest of their crew moved into place.

All the chairs from the dining hall had been dragged up on deck, and the crew sat in two main sections with an aisle in between. Mouse was curled up on Imaru's lap, wearing a fancy pink bow that he had knit for the special occasion. Lefty waited at the back of the aisle, and Jinora, beaming with tears making her eyes shine even brighter, looped her arm through his as they walked down together.

Kai was waiting on the other end, with Yung at his side (like always). When Jinora reached them, Yung took a step back as their officiator. "Exchange your weapons," he instructed.

Kai took out his sword, as well as his dagger, which had been his since he was on the streets, and handed them over to Jinora. She in turn passed her sword to him. He could still remember first teaching her how to swordfight, the gateway that had opened their friendship.

"And now," Yung said with a gentle grin, "the vows."

Just like the song, the Captain knew his came first. "Jinora," he said, his eyes meeting hers. "God knows we didn't have an easy start. But when I first saw you, I immediately knew you were the most beautiful woman I had ever, or would ever, see. Your strength surprised me, your courage inspired me, and your stubbornness is both a blessing a curse."

Jinora let out a little laugh, even as her eyes glistened with tears.

"Those things continue to make me fall more in love with you every day. I never thought I could be this happy. I never thought I would ever find something permanent, someone that would want me and love me and accept me for everything that I am. And I don't think I found you, really. I kind of stumbled into you, and you helped me to my feet again."

"I'm not perfect, but I will always try to do right by you. I will always choose you, I will always be on your side, even when we disagree. I will fight for you and take care of you every day of my life. I will love you until the day I die, and do my best to show it. You are my best friend, my confidant, my sparring partner. You are the mother of my child, and the love of my life. You are my compass, my north star. No matter what happens, you'll always be my home."

Jinora reached up with her free hand to wipe her eyes, before Kai took her fingers and pressed a kiss over her ring. He held her hand even as they lowered their arms.

"Kai," she began softly. "You are my anchor. You are my steadiness when my world is falling apart. You are my hope and my strength when my own fails. You are stubborn, and infuriating, and wonderful, and I aspire to be more like you, more brave and kind and selfless like you, every day. You challenge me, you make me a better person, and I am eternally grateful. Not only have you saved me so many times..." A tear slid down her cheek. "You have also reminded me that I have the power to save myself."

"I'm not sure what each new day will bring, but I know nothing can ever be that bad, as long as I have you," she continued, more tears falling down her face. "You wipe away my tears, make me laugh, even when I want to cry, and you make me happier than I ever thought I could be."

"I never expected to find my best friend, my other half, my soulmate in a pirate, but I am so thankful that I have. I will love you all the days of my life; every day I will choose you, to stand by you, to lift you up, to be your shoulder to lean on, because you do the same for me. We are equals, partners, in heart and and in life. I love you so much. I am so proud and happy to be carrying your child, and to be known as your wife."

Jinora was startled to see Kai's eyes looked unusually bright, and realized there were happy tears welling in the corners of his eyes. She had never seen him cry out of happiness before, and her bottom lip trembled as she struggled to contain her joy, both she and Kai looking to Yung, who handed them each two simple golden bands.

They each slid one onto each other's ring finger, before handing back each other's weapons, quickly sheathing them before looking briefly back at Yung. Jinora could feel Kai's hands shaking, even as his eyes remained bright.

"I now pronounce you Captain and wife," Yung announced happily, beaming at both of them. "You may now kiss the bride."

Jinora wrapped her arms around his neck, his arms snug around her waist, before they both moved in and kissed each other; their crew erupted into cheers on their little boat, anchored in the middle of nowhere, and none of them had ever been more thankful that they were here.


	16. Yung's Warning

Chapter 16: Yung's Warning

* * *

The next morning Jinora woke up, surrounded by warmth, Kai's arms wrapped snugly around her waist. Jinora buried her face in his bare chest, letting out a soft happy hum as she tightened her arms around his torso. Even if last night was not by far the first night they had spent together, even if their marriage still wasn't legal, their wedding night had been one of their happiest. And, judging from the pleasant soreness of her hips, one of the their best.

She gazed at the hand he had resting on her thigh, under the covers, her eyes finding the gleaming gold of his wedding band. _Hers._ He was beautifully hers and now everyone would know that, and everyone would know that she was his.

Kai let out a sleepy grunt and she smiled. "How're you feeling?" she asked softly.

Kai smiled sleepily at her, his eyes bright. "Never better, love." He took his hand away from her thigh and lazily ran his fingers through his hair. He chuckled when she held him tighter, pressing light little kisses to his chest. "You know I have to get up."

"I don't have to like it," she said, pouting. "It's our first morning together after our wedding. Can't you stay a little longer?"

"We've already been anchored for nearly two full days," he reminded her. "The men were getting lazy, even with the wedding prep. And you don't wanna be late for your parents do you?"

"No," she admitted, still pouting. "When did you become the responsible one?"

"Let's just say you're a good influence on me, Gyatso," he said, and then reluctantly disentangled himself from her, peeling back the covers and dragging himself out of bed. He leaned over and briefly kissed her, her lips sour and dry yet still sweet, before rising and pulling on clothes.

Jinora burrowed herself in the blankets, shifting over to area that was still warm from his body, lying on her side, watching as he got dressed. "The one time I don't want you to be responsible," she said mournfully. Kai grinned as he finished tying on his belt.

"Keep this in mind the next time you're telling me off, then," he teased, and she smiled softly as he leaned down to kiss her again, longer this time. She started to kiss him harder, one of her hands grasping at the nape of his neck, when he pulled away. "You're really not making this easier," he said, grateful he already had his pants on.

"I'm not really trying to," she said, grinning.

Kai laughed. "I do have to go love. I'll bring you back some breakfast, okay?"

Jinora sighed, but let him go. "Okay."

Kai jogged past the dining hall and up onto the deck, where Momo, Skoochy, Tyyo, Otaku, Imaru, Appa and Ryu were already up, as well as Yung, who was supervising the men as they hoisted the anchor, raised the sails, and _the Waterbender_ shuddered to a start. Yung frowned when Kai joined his side. "What're you doing up Cap? I've got everything under control."

"I know, but I'm still Captain," Kai said, smiling a little. "You're the one who needs a break, if anything."

It was no secret to Kai that throughout the last week of wedding preparations, Yung had not only been practicing tirelessly with him for the song and dance, but also taking the majority of Kai's Captain duties, staying on top of the crew's chores, finances, and all the extra jobs everyone had for the wedding. While Kai had been practicing his vows, Yung had been making sure everything went according to plan as well as being an emotional support for him. And now, even when Kai knew Yung felt exhausted, he had still gotten up early to give Kai yet another break.

"Kai, I'm―"

"Going to bed," Kai said firmly. "It's my job to take care of you too, you know."

Yung sighed, but saw the steadiness in Kai's eyes and nodded. "Alright." He turned to leave and then clapped Kai on the shoulder. "Thanks kiddo."

Kai smiled and stuck his hands in his pockets, shrugging. "I have to return the favour sometimes, don't I?"

Yung smiled tiredly, squeezing his shoulder. "You don't have to return anything. But I appreciate it, Cap."

Kai watched Yung head below decks, before he turned back to his working men, and heard Otaku clear his throat on Kai's left. "Captain," the navigator said, holding out an envelope. A messenger hawk must have arrived. "There's a letter for Jinora, I also thought you'd be pleased to know that the balancing of our finances has gone well, in regards for saving for materials, especially diapers, and―"

Kai zoned out for a moment, distracted by the writing on the envelope. It was addressed to Jinora, but he didn't recognize the handwriting, or at least he knew it wasn't from her family, which left only one person, really: Lee Sono. His grip on the envelope tightened. He wouldn't pretend that he liked the man, nor did he understand why Jinora was keeping in contact with him; not that it mattered, of course. It was her choice, and she didn't need him to approve, let alone give permission.

It still left a sour taste in his mouth. Being part of the APA aside, Lee Sono had been Jinora's ex-boyfriend, someone she had loved once.

 _She loves you now,_ his brain reminded him. _Married you and everything. Is having your kid._

It didn't mean he deserved her, though. It didn't mean things would work out. Had his mother loved his father once? Had they been married, or had his father been just enough another owner? And no matter how much he hated (yet still loved?) his father, he was a product of some kind of union between his father and mother...

Kai pushed down those thoughts, feeling a bit sick, and tried to focus on what Otaku was saying.

"Captain, are you okay?" Otaku asked, pausing suddenly and studying him closely.

Kai forced a smile, one he had perfected after so many years, one that could usually fool anyone besides Yung or Jinora. "I'm fine."

Otaku looked doubtful, but ultimately sighed and let it drop. "Anything else you want to go over?"

Kai shook his head; they seemed to have covered it all, or at least would handle it later on in the day. "No. I should probably get this to Gyatso," he held up the letter, and Otaku nodded.

Kai headed back down below decks as the majority of the crew headed up the stairs instead, and he found himself alone in the dining hall. Everyone else on kitchen duty would have been helping Daw with food preparation, only setting the table later. He took a moment to tightly grip the edge of the table, his knuckles turning white as he shut his eyes.

 _No!_ NO! _Get away from him―his mother, shoving his father away, the knife nearly hitting the floor_ ― _He's worthless―warm arms, scooping him up, a braid lightly bumping into his face_ ― _Sissy where are we going_ ―

Kai opened his eyes as the memory receded from his brain like the tide on the shore, still nudging at the back of his mind. _No._ He couldn't be slipping. Not when he had been so happy yesterday; it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that such a little thing as a letter could trigger this, but above all things, Kai knew that the world was anything but fair. Maybe that was just the way his happiness worked. Whatever he was given had to be taken away. Maybe he had been too happy.

"Captain?"

Kai forced another smile as he turned around to see Jinora, wearing her comfy pair of leggings and one of his shirts, her messy bedhead curling around her shoulders. "Are you alright?" she said slowly, walking to meet him and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Fine, Gyatso," he said.

"You don't look fine," she said softly, trying to meet his eyes. Kai knew it was his giveaway, that she could always see whatever was burning underneath the green of his irises.

"Well I am," he said shortly. "Letter came for you." He practically shoved it into her hands and then wormed his way out of her grip as soon as she glanced down at it, momentarily distracted, heading out of the dining hall, needing air, or at least to get away, go somewhere else. Although where exactly he was going, he wasn't quite sure...

Goddammit, he didn't want to start letting the darkness back in again.

* * *

As soon as she knew Yung was up, Jinora went and found him. Lee's letter had been all but forgotten, placed on the desk in she and Kai's quarters. She'd open it later, when she wasn't trying to make sure her husband wasn't already spiralling downwards. She knew Yung wouldn't be pleased when the first thing he heard after moments of waking up was, "I think Kai's slipping," although she supposed he was used to that sort of thing after all these years.

Yung sat up in bed, and then scratched at his goatee. "Think so?" he said, blinking blearily.

She nodded, sitting down on the edge of his bed. "He seemed odd, before breakfast. A letter from Lee came, you don't think that's what upset him, do you? I mean, we got married _yesterday_...he can't be jealous."

Yung sighed and dragged himself out of bed. "You know him, though: little things trigger big things. It's probably just a little relapse, though. He's still stressed about the baby―for obvious reasons." Yung grunted as he pulled on socks, his stomach growling having missed breakfast, even if he had been catching up on some much needed rest. "It's probably just making him think of his parents more often. If he has trouble sleeping, then we can worry."

Jinora bit down on her bottom lip. "But Yung―"

"Jinora, he's stronger than you give him credit for. Sometimes he really does need to ride things out," Yung said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We'll keep an eye on him, but as long as it doesn't get worse, it'll get better. I promise." Yung leaned in and kissed her forehead, the way Tenzin had done when she was little. "I know my boy. I also know you. Stress isn't good for a new mother, you know."

"I know," Jinora said, managing a slight smile. "Longshot and Captain keep reminding me, unfortunately." She gave Yung a fond and appreciative look. "Thank you."

"Anytime. You're officially my daughter-in-law, now. Why don't we go see what Captain's up to now, anyway?"

"I'll go," Jinora told him. "You go get something to eat. I'll find you if I need reinforcements."

Yung nodded, and they left half of the crew's quarters together. While Yung headed to the kitchen, Jinora headed up onto the deck. The crew was having a break, as lunch would be happening in an hour or so, before most of them would head below to help with cooking and setting the table.

Kai, on the other hand, had set up one of their dummies (purchased at a store a few ports back for Momo to practice on) and whacking away at it, tearing the fabric and sending stuffing onto the deck. Although Tyyo fidgeted ―he had just cleaned the deck― none of the crew said a word, wisely in Jinora's opinion, as Kai grunted and gutted the dummy. There was a dark, angry look in his eyes.

"Captain?" Jinora said, walking over to him and drawing her sword while she did so. "That dummy doesn't seem like a suitable sparring partner."

"I'm fine as it is, Gyatso," Kai said tartly, even as his eyes softened when he looked at her, and Jinora frowned at him.

"Well men," Lefty said loudly. "We should probably head down to help with lunch?" It wasn't really a suggestion, as the crew quickly filed downstairs, not wanting to see whatever would unfold―at least not in the middle of it. Ryu was the last one down and shut the door behind them.

"We haven't sparred in ages," she said patiently.

"Because you're _pregnant_ ," said Kai testily, lowering his sword. Another piece of fluff fell out of the dummy's stomach.

"If you're not willing to tell me what's bothering you, then we're sparring," she said firmly, and then unsheathed her own sword, before arching an eyebrow at him. "Well?" She could tell from his eyes, even as he stepped forward, seemingly to talk her out of it, that he wouldn't be opening up anytime soon. Jinora lifted her sword and held the tip up to his chest.

Kai rolled his eyes. "Gyatso, you're being ridiculous―"

"No," she said firmly. "I'm getting my husband to talk to me."

He frowned at her. "Fine."

He lunged and Jinora parried, and the match actually started. By now they were accustomed enough to each other's fighting style that Jinora knew Kai was going easy on her―and even if she didn't want to admit it, was probably for the best, since her movements were sluggish due to the pregnancy and she was pretty rusty with a sword just in general―which, somehow, only frustrated her more with him.

Usually, she was pretty patient, but she thought they had moved past this shutting-her-out business. Apparently not.

She parried another one of his strike's, and stepped backwards to avoid a swipe, and threw out her free hand behind her to steady herself. She was running out of room, only a few steps away from the deck's swift incline up to the upper deck where the steering wheel was. Jinora knew there was no way she would come out on top: she didn't have Kai's talent for working well in tight or small spaces. (A product of his time on the streets, she supposed.)

Kai halted his sword before it could hit her hip, unofficially wining the spar, and she cussed under her breath for getting distracted. She watched as Kai put away his sword, and reluctantly did the same. That didn't mean she was out of the fight yet, though. When the pirate took a step towards her, Jinora grabbed his arm and pinned him to the wall of the upper deck.

"You are not shutting me out, Captain," she said firmly, her hands wrapped tightly around his biceps and keeping him begrudgingly in place. "I am your _wife_ now. I've been your wife for far longer, if we're being honest, and I thought we had promised not to lie to each other. We promised not to shut each other out, Kai. I thought you were trying to keep it."

"Gyatso―"

" _Kai_."

She could almost see the way his walls crumbled in his eyes, his mouth a thin, firm line even as his hands started shaking. But she knew she had found the chink in his armour. "I saw you had a letter from Sono, and I just started thinking...I don't know if my mother was with my father out of choice. I just―we did kidnap you, you didn't choose―I...if Sono hadn't gone to work for Kuvira, would you have married him? Would...would you have been happy?"

"Kai―"

His voice was tight as he cut her off. "Answer me."

Jinora swallowed hard, her eyes trembling as she looked at him. "We would have gotten engaged. I don't know if I would have been able to walk down the altar. Maybe I would have, since I didn't know what else there was to feel." She took his hand and gripped it tightly, her other hand reaching for his half of their anchor pendant. "Not until I met you. I―I might've thought I was happy, but..." she shook her head. "It was fake, expected. Just like every other damn thing in my life. I wouldn't have been content, and as for what direction I would have gone in... I can't know for sure," she said softly. "But I don't need to know, I don't want to. I just want _you_. I choose you, Kai."

He leaned forward and kissed her. Jinora shaped her mouth over his, letting go of his arms, and then he wrapped them around her waist, holding her close, before he finally pulled away. "Thank you. I'm sorry. I know it's stupid, I just―"

"Not stupid," she corrected him. "Never stupid." She gently took his face in her hands and pressed a kiss to his temple. "Do you feel better now?"

"Yeah," he breathed. "Thank you."

"Of course, Captain. That's what I'm here for," she smiled up at him. "You have lookout duty tonight, right? I'll bring up some hot chocolate and blankets."

"You don't ha―"

"I want to." She shrugged. "And it's not like I can sleep very well when you're not with me, anyway."

Slowly, Kai smiled back at her. "Someone's attached," he teased.

"Well if I didn't have you, then who would annoy me all day?" she grinned.

Kai placed a hand over his heart, mock-pouting. "Ouch, Gyatso. That hurt."

She wrinkled her nose at her dorky husband. "I try."

* * *

Dates up in the crow's nest was one of Jinora's favourite things about the _Waterbender_. It was a little harder to make it up the rope grid―even as her fear of heights had subsided enough, at least when it came to this, it was something Jinora didn't do all that often, only when she or Kai were on lookout duty―but that was because she wasn't accustomed to having a baby bump while doing it. Now at a solid four and a half months, it would only continue to grow.

In another day or so, they'd be meeting with her parents as well. Jinora was still a tad worried, mostly because of her father and Kai. Her mother, she knew, would definitely be supportive, and so would her father, after his initial shock or anger faded, but...She didn't want anything to knock Kai down again, especially when she knew he was already pretty stressed―and happy, of course, always happy―about the baby.

It was partially for this reason that Kai insisted on carrying up the blankets, and then the capped mugs of hot cocoa Daw had been kind enough to prepare for them before heading off to bed himself. Kai made sure Jinora was settled in the crow's nest small basket-like space, and then draped the blankets over her shoulders.

"Thank you," she said quietly, smiling as she accepted her cup of hot chocolate.

The stars were beautiful tonight, shining brightly, and finally, with May on its way, the night air had been growing warmer. Jinora blew on her drink as Kai sat down with her sitting in between his legs, and then wrapped his arms lightly around her stomach. With the blankets, beverage, and her husband's steady warmth, Jinora couldn't have felt more at peace.

Looking up at the stars made her think of her little brother. "How is Rohan?" she asked Kai. "I think he writes more letters to you than he does to me."

"Probably does," Kai chuckled. "No, he's doing well. The bullies haven't bothered him, the worst one got expelled actually. And he's gotten permission to start an astronomy club next year, so he's really excited."

Jinora smiled softly. "That's good. Imagine how excited he'll be when he finds out he's going to be an uncle!"

"He'll be a good one," Kai said. "How're you feeling about that? Your parents and everything. Your friends, too."

"I'm ready for everyone to know," said Jinora decidedly, laying her hand over his and giving it a squeeze. "I know they'll all be pleased. My mother and Pfannee will be able to give some firsthand advice, so that'll be nice as well. I suppose I just want to get it over with, in a way? Then we can focus on all the good things the baby will bring. Get your birth records and all that."

"You're right," Kai said, and smiled a genuine one, and she could tell his worries were at bay, for now.

After a stretch of comfortable silence, Kai made a soft noise of surprise. Nearly all their hot chocolate was gone.

"What?" Jinora asked.

"I-I just realized that, uh, once I know my mom's name, I can...I can find her grave. In Omashu." Kai felt tears suddenly build in his eyes. "I can visit her." Jinora turned and faced him, smiling softly as she reached up to wipe away the few tears now falling down his cheeks.

"Would you like me to come with you?" she offered.

"No," Kai said quickly, and Jinora's eyes widened, but he gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry, I mean, I'd like to go alone the first time. But after that, yeah. I think it'd be nice."

Jinora pressed a kiss to his jaw. "I think it'd be nice too, love."

When Jinora fell asleep, she curled into him. Kai made sure she was properly covered by the blankets, before resting his head on top of hers, perfectly content for the duration of the night watch.

* * *

They had arranged that upon docking at Air Temple Island, Pema and Tenzin (Rohan would still be in school) would meet them at the docks, and that's exactly what they did. As the Waterbender pulled into Yue Bay, drifting towards the island that hosted the Gyatso mansion, Kai felt far calmer than he had the last time they had visited nearly three months before hand. Now, though, Kai was starting to wish that Tenzin's reaction would not be shown on the deck of his ship for all the crew to see.

There was nothing they could do to change it now, however, and Jinora's hand was slightly clammy in his own. He gave it a tight squeeze as Appa and Imaru went to lower the anchor and the others jumped into action to secure the boat to the docks with woven rope knots.

"It'll be okay," he murmured. She squeezed his hand back.

"I know," she said. "I have you, don't I?"

Kai managed a tiny smile as Lefty and Ryu worked to lower the plank. Tenzin and Pema were already at the docks, but after Pema caught sight of Jinora―hiding things from other women was much harder, Jinora had learned―she lightly nudged her husband and they walked up the ramp and onto the _Waterbender_ 's deck.

For a moment, her parents just stared at her, and Jinora could see the hint of a smile on her mother's face. She took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant," Jinora said, not that there was much need. Even in her loose fitting clothes, the swell of her stomach was evident, now that she was a good two weeks and four months along. There was no hiding it any longer, not that she wanted to hide it. Although it seemed like maybe her father had needed the announcement.

Tenzin's face was blank for a moment, and then his jaw went slack as he blinked at them. "W-what?"

Pema was already on her feet, the surprise gone from her face as she moved towards her daughter, beaming as she pulled Jinora into a hug. "Oh darling, that's wonderful. How far along?"

"A little over four months, we've only known for two," Jinora said, smiling hesitantly, still unsure of her father's reaction. "We waited until we were into the third month―out of the miscarriage zone, of course―to tell the crew, but our medic Longshot has known since the beginning, he's the one who confirmed it for us."

Pema tightly gripped her daughter's hands as she pulled away, beaming. "Oh sweetheart, I'm so―" She glanced down at Jinora's fingers. "A new ring?"

Jinora quickly glanced down at her wedding band, and then at Kai's. "Oh, yes, we had a bit of a ceremony, just an old pirate tradition is all, it's not legal of course but it was very nic―"

"You didn't think to tell us?" Tenzin said, very quietly. Jinora's smile faltered, suddenly very aware of her crew gathered around her, unable to help themselves from watching the confrontation. But instead of giving her shame, it gave her strength; Tenzin was the one outnumbered, not her.

"We wanted to tell you in person," Kai said, squeezing her hand again. He didn't flinch when Tenzin gave him a sharp look.

"Oh, I expect this is all your fault? I thought you knew what you were doing when it came to―to that!" Tenzin glowered at him. "Didn't think to send us a quick letter that we were going to have a grandchild, no, you thought it'd be a clever trick to keep us in the dark―" He frowned at Jinora. "So you're pregnant, _and_ you got married?" Tenzin fumed, and through his anger Jinora could see the hurt lying underneath. "Is there anything else you're keeping from me?!"

"We got a cat," Momo said in a very small voice. A silence fell over the deck as everyone turned to stare at him, and as if on cue Mouse chose to appear, and rubbed her head against Momo's leg. The spooked teenager gathered the grey cat into his arms and quickly scurried away to hide behind Appa's hulking form.

"I thought you were using protection, do you know―" Tenzin said, his face turning scarlet. "Do you know what the papers will do when they get a hold of this? They'll call you―"

"Nothing they haven't already called me," Jinora said evenly.

Tenzin crossed his arms over his chest. "Jinora, I thought you were more responsible than this, even if I didn't expect much out of him, although I'm sure this is all his fault―"

Kai rolled his eyes. "Of course, sir," he said dryly.

Jinora huffed in frustration. "Just for the record, it is not his fault. _I_ was the one who thought we wouldn't need to take the birth control potion that day, and _I_ was the one who initiated it."

Tenzin looked even more aghast, spluttering. Pema quietly took his hand. "Honestly dear," she said gently, "your daughter is a grown woman living with her boyfr―husband, now. She's allowed to make her own choices."

Kai felt a rush of affection for Pema. "And besides, it's no one's fault, because that's implying the baby is a bad thing. And they're not. They're a wonderful thing. Unexpected, yeah. But not bad." He glanced back at his crew, who were all blatantly staring, and cleared his throat. "Don't you have chores?"

Their crew hastily averted their eyes and tried to appear busy, while Yung just stepped closer to Kai, even if he did clear his throat. "It might be wise to continue this below deck? Or up at the house?" he suggested. Kai looked at Yung gratefully.

"I think down below deck is the most logical," Pema said smoothly, giving Yung a tiny smile. Now at least it would be two parents against one.

Tenzin was still grumbling something under his breath, but he followed Pema, Yung, Kai and Jinora down into the dining room. Kai sat in his usual seat, with Jinora and Yung on one side of him, Pema and Tenzin on the other. The Governor sighed as he sat down, and stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"I am...sorry," he said finally. "For my reaction up on deck." Kai nodded his silent acceptance, even if Jinora still looked upset. "I didn't expect to be a grandfather so soon," Tenzin cracked a small smile, and Jinora's expression softened. At least she knew there was no way her parents would disown her because of the baby, a scandal in upper society of a whole other kind―not that she had ever expected them to. They weren't the Wens.

"We've asked Yung to be the child's other grandfather," Jinora said, a tiny smile forming on her face. Yung's eyes were watery again. "Although we haven't picked a godfather yet, I figured Ikki can be the godmother." Her smile grew at the thought of how happy the news would make her younger sister. "The baby's due in September, Longshot will be able to make a more accurate guess at the due date later on."

"The crew is really excited," Kai said happily. "Most of them cried, actually. They've all helped with contributing money and their own talents―Po and Nidhi, they're carpenters, they've made a crib and everything, and thanks to all of them, the nursery's nearly done―"

"Nursery?" Tenzin repeated, raising an eyebrow.

Kai gave him an odd look. "The room's only a few feet away from me and Jinora's, so it's nice and close, and―"

"You're raising the baby on the ship?" Tenzin said slowly.

Kai's smile vanished. "Well, yeah? Why―" He uncertainly looked at his wife. "Why wouldn't we?"

"It's a dangerous place for a child, for one thing," Tenzin said, and Jinora glared at him again. "Not to mention, no chances of proper schooling―"

"Otaku and I are more than capable of properly educating the baby," Jinora cut in. "As well as any other of the crew who have received some form of education."

"If my memory serves me correctly, neither of you graduated," Tenzin said. "The are not the same opportunities, due to a lack of wealth, the ship is an unsafe environment. The best place for the baby to be raised is on Air Temple Island, back at the manor."

"At least three members of the crew will always be looking out for the baby," Kai said tersely. "You think we're just going to let the kid wander around unsupervised?"

"I would hardly call a group of criminals, thieves and thugs suitable babysitters," Tenzin said, a vein in his head pulsing. .

Kai's eyes darkened, and Jinora could hear the struggle is his voice to remain somewhat calm as he said, "Yung raised me on this ship―"

"And look how you turned out," Tenzin snapped.

Kai's face went blank for a moment. "Was that an insult against Yung?" he said, his jaw twitching, his voice deadly calm.

"Kai," Yung hissed, shooting him a warning look. "He didn't mean―"

"Well I want to know what he meant, exactly," Kai said darkly. Kai was sure Jinora would squeeze his hand, whether in warning or in support (or both), and even through his anger came a spike of surprise when there was nothing. Her fingers felt clammy against his own, and he paused, tearing his furious gaze away from Tenzin, his eyes softening at he looked at her.

Her face was impassive, nearly shut down, her mouth a thin, firm line. "Gyatso?" He pulled their joined hands into his lap, fully turning to look at her. Even if her eyes were nearly blank, he could see the storm raging inside her head.

"I'm fine," she said in a quiet, steady voice, but Kai didn't buy it for a second, even if Tenzin no longer seemed very concerned.

"Don't pull that shit with me," he said firmly. Jinora blinked, and he could see a flicker of emotion in her eyes as he stared into them. "Jinora, you know you can fool me just as much as I can fool you."

Her bottom lip trembled, and he watched as her mask caved in on itself. He didn't hesitate in rising from his chair and pulling her into her arms, brushing her hair away from her face. Jinora clung to him as he gently shushed her, murmuring quietly into her hair. "It's okay." He didn't ask why―it wasn't the time, and he thought he knew anyway. The thought of their child growing up in the same life she had had been too much.

"I don't want it," she choked out, burying her face in his chest. "I don't want―I-I couldn't _breathe,_ I―"

"Our child is not being raised in high society if it's not what you want," Kai said, just quietly enough for her to hear. "Whatever you want, Jin. We can stay on the ship." Jinora just shook her head again, and Kai ran his fingers through her hair, swallowing hard. "Then we can go someplace else. Leave the crew. A little town in the Fire Nation or something where nobody knows us. Make a new life." His voice was a little shaky―the _Waterbender_ and his crew was the only home and family he had ever known, after all.

"No," Jinora said softly. "No, I want to stay." The wave of relief that washed over him was almost too much to handle. "I'd never ask you to leave our crew." Finally, she raised her head to look him in the eye, hers still rimmed with red, but the tears had faded. "They're my family now too."

She pulled away from Kai, but tightly gripped his hand as she turned to face her father. "We are raising our child as we see fit and we are doing so on this ship whether you approve of it or not."

Tenzin looked deeply troubled, but Kai was relieved when the Governor simply nodded, willing for once to give up without a fight. "Alright..." Tenzin hesitated before clearing his throat. "I do have some reservations though, about the safety. Where will the baby be kept during a raid?"

Jinora was startled when she realized the thought hadn't really entered her mind before, but Kai didn't miss a beat in providing an answer. "I've been talking with Otaku, we've worked it into the budget fairly easily, actually. When this ship was built a good 50 years ago it was supposed to be a slave ship, that's why the storage and brig are so big. We're going to take one of the storage rooms and turn it into a sort of safety bunker. Like a hidden room, with a false wall acting as a door. At least two of the crew will always be the kid while they're there, for protection, and we're trying to figure out how to make a passageway that will lead out to one of the lifeboats hung up on the side of the ship, if there was ever a need for them to actually leave the ship."

Jinora gave her husband a look of admiration―as much as Kai had never received any official schooling, as much as reading and writing would never be particularly easy for him, he truly was more intelligent than most people gave him credit for, especially when it came to figuring out plans, or ways to protect the people he loved. It was one of the many things that made him such a good captain.

Jinora carefully watched her father as he seemed to struggle with finding some kind of fault in the plan, and yet found none. "Very well. How much is it costing you?"

Kai's eyes widened, and he shifted slightly in surprise and discomfort. "Sir, we don't need your money―"

"I'm offering," Tenzin said not kindly, but not unkindly either.

Kai blinked. "Oh. Well, uh. Thank you."

Yung, as always, came to Kai's rescue, pointing up at the clock they had on the wall. "Jinora, you better get going, it's nearly noon. Aren't you visiting your friends?"

"Oh, yes," Jinora said brightly. "I suppose we can all head up on deck together. Captain, you're heading into town with the rest of the men, so―"

"I'd like a word with Kai, actually," Tenzin said.

For the first time since announcing the pregnancy, Kai let himself think about how finally― _finally_ ―he'd get to find out about his mother. See his birth records. And maybe, even, something about his sister.

Even if talking one-on-one with the Governor was the last thing Kai felt like doing, he forced a small smile. "Of course, sir. I suppose Gya―Jinora, and Mrs. Gyatso can head up to the deck themselves?"

"If that's the case, then I'd like a word with the Governor before I go," Yung said, staring hard at Tenzin. Kai knew that look: Yung was scrutinizing him, trying to figure something out. Kai had been on the other end of that look, always with much more gentleness in Yung's eyes, but enough times to know that whatever followed would be a private conversation. "I think it's time he and I had a chat."

Pema looked to her husband while Jinora looked to hers, and both shared uncertain looks. Pema and Jinora headed up the stairs, and Kai glanced back once over his shoulder to see Yung and Tenzin standing in the dining hall before following them up the stairs.

Yung, on the other hand, turned to Tenzin. He may have seemed relaxed while consoling Jinora about Kai, and maybe he had been a little more worried than he had let on, but now he could place all his cards on the table. "You've got a lot of nerve," he said with a twinge of irritation.

Tenzin's brow furrowed. " _I_ have nerve―?"

"Yes, you do," Yung said. "My boy has been through hell and back. I've never seen him happier than he is with your daughter―than when he's thinking about the baby they're having together. He never thought he'd get this far, never thought he'd be this happy, but I always hoped he would. But that doesn't mean he's not going through a rough time, and you, knowing what you know about that goddamn orphanage..." Yung closed his eyes for a moment, scowling. "He's scared out of his mind, deep down, about being his father. But so far he's been feeling okay. And I will not― _I will not let you be the thing that knocks him down again._ Do you understand me?"

Yung wasn't a very intimidating man, on the shorter side, pudgy, with a naturally kind look in his eyes, but in that moment Tenzin felt downright terrified. Yung was just as much of a pirate as Kai was, he suddenly remembered. Just as capable of carrying through on threats, or gutting someone. Not that Tenzin thought Yung would do him any harm, oh no―his position as Jinora's father protected him from that―but he did not want to face the man's wrath.

"Yes," Tenzin said quietly.

Yung nodded, looking satisfied. "Good. I'm going to go check on my kid."

Tenzin let out a long breath as Yung headed up the stairs. He supposed it was a good thing Kai had someone so unflinchingly fearless looking out for him.


	17. Girls Day Out, Boys Day In

Chapter 17: Girls Day Out, Boys Day In

* * *

When Tenzin finally walked up onto deck, he saw Yung standing close to Kai, the first mate resting a hand on his boy's shoulder as Yung spoke quietly to him. Kai was frowning, but seemed more exasperated than upset, even if his expression softened when Yung pulled him into a hug. The Captain immediately relaxed, even if he was still the one who pulled away first.

Kai clapped Yung on the shoulder before walking over to Jinora, his hands lightly gripping her forearms. "It'll be okay Gyatso," he whispered, and Tenzin only just made the words out. "Don't worry about a thing okay? Just have a good time with your friends."

"You're speaking alone with my father," said Jinora dryly. "How am I supposed to not worry?"

Tenzin's heart sank. Did he really bring her so much distress?

Kai smiled at her. "I'm a big tough boy Gyatso, I can handle myself for one afternoon. Just relax okay? It'll all be fine." He planted a kiss on her temple, his hands going down to her fingers, giving them a quick squeeze. "Promise."

Jinora gave him a small smile. "Okay, Captain. Take care of yourself."

"I will. Have fun, Gyatso. Me or one of the crew will walk you home." He squeezed her hands and then let go, watching her walk away with a slight smile on his face as she joined the throng of the crew heading off _the Waterbender_ and closer to the ferry that would take them to the mainland. His smile faded as he turned back to Tenzin. They were alone now, standing feet apart on the deck. "So, Governor, what did you want to talk about?"

There were a lot of things, Tenzin realized. Jinora, the baby, the orphanage. He was sure there was more too. But where did he even start? And how? Jinora had said Kai was a private person, and Tenzin knew she was right. After seeing how horrible the orphanage was, why would Kai want to talk about it again? And what about what Yung had said? What if he knocked Kai down somehow? And when exactly had he started almost caring about the boy?

"You..." The word sat in Tenzin's mouth, heavy like lead. "You call her Gyatso sometimes. Why?"

Kai raised his brow, as if surprised by the question. "Oh, uh," the captain paused, "for uh, for the first month we knew each other we never used our first names, sir. So it just kind of stuck, even after. That's all."

"How long has she been doing that?" Tenzin asked. "Hiding her emotions. She used to do that at dinners, or other functions, but we...I never realized what it actually meant."

"A while," Kai answered. "It took me a while to realize too, I just put it together 'cause I kind of do something similar." He rubbed the back of his neck. "But she's better about it now. We uh, both are. She'll let me in, most days...which is really all I can ask. Ever since we ran into LingShi, she..."

He thought back to the day in that alleyway, the terror and rage that had so fiercely gripped him, the aftermath and horrible fight between him and Jinora that had followed. _Besides, a hostage doesn't discuss things like this with her captor._ But they had come so far, he reminded himself, feeling grateful. They had come so so far. God knew they still weren't perfect―but they were happy, and stubborn. They'd be okay.

"She's better now," he finished lamely.

"What―" As a politician, Tenzin felt he should have been better at carefully choosing how to phrase something by now. "What happened, exactly? In the alleyway? She's never gone into detail."

Kai sighed heavily, looking away from the Governor. "We were in Jietou, visiting friends. We walked back to the ship, the two of us. I stopped at a stand to," he hooked a finger around the half of an anchor pendant, hanging around his neck, "to get her this, actually. It was only a few minutes at most, but when I looked around she―she was gone. LingShi..." his fingers curled into fists. "The bastard had dragged her into the closest alleyway, just a few stands over. When I got there, there were bruises on her face and he had her pinned against the wall and―and was reaching for her blouse."

Tenzin suddenly looked very, very old. His eyes were weary and watery. "But he didn't―?"

"He didn't get any further," Kai growled. "I ripped him off of her. I wanted to kill him, _so badly_. I was going to, but... Jinora told me not to. So I listened." His expression soured. "Unfortunately. I should've killed him. No one should ever―ever, get to hurt her like that, and if I had killed him, then he'd never hurt her again. _Never again_."

"He never got farther than that? At any time?" Tenzin checked, and Kai forced himself out of the dark fogginess clouding his mind.

"No. Never thought he could get away with it, I guess," he said darkly. Not for the first time, he felt a spike of resentment at Tenzin―how could he not have known?―but quickly swallowed it. He knew it wasn't fair. He knew Jinora had done a damn good job at hiding it. You couldn't blame a parent for not seeing what their child was unwilling to show; or at least, not completely.

There was a very long pause, before Tenzin said, very quietly, "I still don't understand why she didn't tell me."

But that, thank God, was one thing Kai could understand. If there was one silver lining in everything he had been through, it helped him help Jinora; and that made it worth it, in a way. "That's the thing about abuse," he said slowly. "It's like they have their hands over your eyes, not just around your neck. You can't see a way out. You're just trying to figure out how to get through the day. Our situations were different, for―for a number of reasons, but..." A lump formed in his throat, but he pushed on. "The orphanage was an ultimatum. The abuse was all day, e-every day. I couldn't get away from it, until I ran. But Jinora, she wasn't with him every day. So when the visit or whatever was over, she could go home. Try her best to forget it, and not think about it until she had to see him again in a few weeks, or maybe a few months even. She...she had hope that someone would notice. Or that she wouldn't have to marry him. Why tell anyone, if she didn't have to? If she could stay silent, wouldn't that be easier? There's...there's a lot of shame, in being abused. People think it's their fault. For a long time, _I_ ―I believed what Gunthra told me. I thought it was my fault too. But it's not. It's never our fault, not when it comes to people like that."

His mother's death was still his fault―she had gotten involved only to save him―but he also knew it was equal part his father's. Kai swallowed hard, feeling his eyes sting, but knowing no tears would actually fall; Gunthra had beat it out of him.

"How much do you know? About the orphanage?" Kai asked, after Tenzin didn't say anything. Neither man were looking at each other.

"I know about the knife fight, and the crying," Tenzin said heavily, and Kai nodded. "And what happened when you ran away. She...Gunthra mentioned something about a girl. She visited the orphanage around 5 years after you left, asking about you."

"A girl?" Kai repeated.

"Gunthra thought she might have been a cousin. She didn't look anything like you. She dropped off a photo, a baby picture, I think. I haven't looked in your file."

A tightness grew in Kai's chest. Had that been his sister? He could still, faintly, remember thinking that his sister would come back for him. And then wishing, and then hoping, until he had accepted that his sister was most likely dead. Why else would she have abandoned him? She loved him. Or had she blamed him for their mother's death too? But now...she had come looking. Too late, but _she had come back._ Whether or not she was still alive was another matter, but...She had survived.

Kai cleared his throat. "Thank you, for telling me Governor."

Tenzin stared hard at him. "Is she a relative?" he asked cautiously.

"She might be," Kai said, and the look in his eyes made it clear that that conversation was closed.

Tenzin sighed, and then realized there was another matter pressing on his mind. "I did some research, the other day, about the ramifications of growing up in an abusive household, or otherwise―"

Kai felt a sudden rush of dread. "I know it can be a cycle," he said quickly, too panicked to realize he had just cut the Governor off. "That kids who are abused are more likely to abuse their own kids, but I've broken it. I have. I'll never hit Jinora, or the baby. No matter what. I'd rather die."

Tenzin's eyes softened a little, and he stroked at his beard. "I already know that, Kai. Jinora wouldn't feel so safe with you otherwise." Kai let out a long exhale. "What I was going to say," the politician thought it would be cruel to scold the boy for interrupting, "was that growing up in an abusive household can lead to mental health issues."

"Mental health? So, like brain stuff?" Kai clarified, and Tenzin nodded before continuing.

"Many children, as well as when they're adults, suffer PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder. Symptoms can include reliving the event, or events, nightmares, panic attacks. Other mental illnesses can cause self-destructive tendencies, or other mental issues," he explained. "You've never been to a therapist, have you? Never been diagnosed?"

Kai shook his head. "Never had the money. Or the reason to. Most medics don't get brain stuff very well―honestly I'm just lucky I have Longshot and he never thought I was crazy...Zaheer wasn't quite as understanding." It had been yet another thing that had put the former and current Captain at odds to each other. "But I'm fine. Really. Most days it's not too bad." Besides, the ideas of spilling all his worst memories, all his darkest moments, to a total stranger―doctorate or not―almost made him want to laugh. Yeah, fat chance.

"I say this mostly because, according to the book I was reading, mental health issues can be passed along to children through thier parent's hereditary bloodline."

Kai's eyes widened, and horror filled up his lungs. "S-so the baby could―they could inherit whatever's wrong with me?" His voice broke a little.

"Not necessarily," Tenzin said, almost gently. "But it could be a concern, in the future."

Kai ran a hand through his hair. "Is there any way to make sure it doesn't get passed on?" He wracked his brain, running through the list of potions he knew, any sea witch magic, but they were all for physical injuries, not mental ones.

"I'm afraid not," Tenzin replied. "But I did not tell you so you would worry. I told you so you could prepare."

Kai took a deep breath. "Yeah. Yes, you're right. Uh, sir."

"Yung says you're in a good place right now," said Tenzin slowly.

"Uh, yeah," Kai cleared his throat again. "I'm doing okay. Things are okay. The crew's been helping a lot and Jinora's doing well and eating well and stuff. Her cravings and mood swings haven't been too bad either. And the nursery's almost done. Would―would you like to see? Mrs. Gyatso can come as well, if she wants."

"I'll have a servant go find her," Tenzin said, and then, amazing, he smiled a little at Kai, who nervously returned it.

* * *

It had been nearly two years since Jinora had seen her friends from secondary school. St. Bosco's School for Refined Young Ladies and Gentlemen (more commonly known as St. Bosco's) was the most expensive and prestigious secondary school in Republic City. It had been her home away from home for nearly five years, from the time she was fourteen to almost her nineteenth birthday. She could still remember graduation day, the air making her lungs ache when she realized she wouldn't be coming back to this place, to her dorm room, would never exist with her friends in the same way, ever again. And what good friends they were.

She had met Miki Nanuq first, since they had both been the only people to sign up for bookclub within that first week, and ended up sitting next to each other in history for the next four years. Miki was studying to be a teacher―and one day a university professor―at the local university, an ambitious goal, especially (unfortunately) for a woman. Her family was rich, and growing up they hadn't been as well off as the Gyatsos, but her brother had struck gold in the banking business over the past year, so Miki could pretty much do whatever she pleased with her life. She was never the type to brag about such a thing, however.

Pfannee Wen had been the second, making their duo a trio. She had always been giggly, the life of every party. She was smart, but had never really bothered to truly apply herself in school; why should she, after all, when her father was a rich partner of Future Industries? Jinora wondered if she regretted not trying more, given the turn her life had taken. Pfannee had gotten pregnant in their last year, and the father―some prissy rich boy Pfannee had refused to give the name of―hadn't wanted to stick around, probably fearing the stint it would take on his reputation. Never mind the fact that Pfannee had been disowned and was working as a seamstress, a job quiet enough that she could still look after her son Lee (although, since there were so many Lees, they called him Lee-Wen). As much as Jinora knew Pfannee was happy, gone was the giggling, frivolous girl from their teenage years.

The real surprise however, was Shen Shen Sesi. She was everything a rich girl should be―and she relished in it. She loved the dances, the long, droning dinners, she even ordered corsets to be as tight as possible. Her family had been less strict about suitors, giving her more freedom to pick and choose, and Shen Shen had left a long trail of broken hearts behind her, as she could charm any boy (or at least any boy who was into girls) and only wanted the sparks of romance, none of the steady fire Jinora had learned to nurture, and to love just as much. Still, she knew Shen Shen would probably be settling down in the next few years, as it wasn't common, especially among high-society, for women to be unwedded for very long, once they were of marrying age.

Jinora found all three of them already sitting at a spindly circular table in The Jasmine Dragon, and they all perked up at the sight of her. Jinora could only imagine what was going through their minds: news of her kidnapping, and then nothing but months of magazine articles and rumours she had run off and become a pirate's whore, and a few letters sent to try and explain and smooth things over. Oh, and the swell of her stomach, plainly obvious.

Then Miki's round face broke into a smile, her brown eyes swimming with tears, and pulled her into a tight hug. Jinora felt a wave of relief; she knew, or rather hoped, that Miki would be understanding, and she is. Out of all of them, Jinora was probably closest to her. The idea of losing her friendship was almost too horrible to think about.

"It's so good to see you," Miki said, her voice soft.

Jinora beamed at her as she pulled away. "It's so good to see you too. How are you? All of you?" There was so much to tell them, but also so much to learn.

"We're fine!" Miki replied. "It's you we're interested in! The rest of us didn't run off with a pirate, you know." She smirked at her. "So, tell us, what's actually true? The papers didn't say you were pregnant."

"They don't know," Jinora said, taking a seat, looking at Shen Shen and Pfannee a little nervously, the latter especially. "We just told my parents earlier today, actually. The baby's not due for a while, another five months. Kai...he's quite excited for the baby. Nervous―we weren't trying, but..."

"He won't leave you?" Pfannee said, and it almost wasn't a question.

Jinora smiled. "Never."

Pfannee looked relieved, and then smiled widely back at her. "Then I'm happy for you. Even if he is a pirate."

"With a reputation," Shen Shen added unhelpfully.

Jinora frowned at her―she had always had a bit of a mean streak, after all―but let the rational side of her brain take over for a moment. "Alright then. Let's start with what you know, or think you now, and go from there." Yung would be proud of her, she thought.

"He's ruthless," Miki volunteered.

"He sleeps around," said Shen Shen.

"He's a criminal," said Pfannee.

Jinora nodded, taking their concerns into account. "He can be ruthless, to his enemies, and even then only with good reason," she conceded. "He _used_ to sleep around. He's been nothing but committed since we became a couple. And yes, he is a criminal in the eyes of the law. But that doesn't make him a lowlife. Nor his crew. They're some of the most respectful men I've ever met."

"Well you _are_ the Captain's girl," Miki said slowly.

"Even before," Jinora corrected her. "Even in the beginning, when I was nothing more than a hostage. The Captain and I got off to a...very rough start. But the crew was always plainly wonderful and respectful.

Miki raised her eyebrows. "They never once made any passes at you? Any of them?"

Jinora smiled fondly, shaking her head. "Not once. They've never been anything but respectful. They're not perfect, but...It's like I suddenly got a whole bunch of older brothers and an uncle and another dad." She looked around at her friend's surprised faces. "Any other rumours to address?"

"He seduced you," Shen Shen said.

Jinora smirked. "Actually, it was more the other way around."

Shen Shen gasped, looking deliciously scandalized, a grin on her face. "Well, now we have to have the details. Tell us, does he live up to his reputation in bed?"

"Exceeds it." Jinora smiled a little devilishly. "In hindsight, I'm surprised I didn't get pregnant sooner."

Shen Shen's grin grew, and even Pfannee and Miki seemed interested, the latter asking, "You'll be raising the baby on the ship?"

"Yes. We told my parents about that idea this morning, my father wasn't very pleased, but he came around. _The Waterbender_ is safe most of the time―not all of the time, but most, and the all of the boys will have one eye on the baby at all times. Most of them know how to handle young children, or babies. Appa, his nephew Momo is on the ship too, he helped take care of him as a baby. And the crew all know how to handle kids once they're a little older, so."

"How come?" Pfannee asked. "I thought most pirates didn't have families, or if they did, they weren't necessarily around all that much."

And it was a terrible example, so Jinora felt even worse when her brain thought of Kai's father, a drunken sailor was never around. (Although that had probably been for the best, anyway.) And, damn it all, she had started to dig herself a kind of hole. Living around people who know everything there is to know about each other, for the most part, has made interacting with people who don't trickier than she expected.

"Kai's been on the ship since he was 9," she revealed quietly.

Miki, bless her, simply frowned and asked, "So his parents are―?"

"Since he was a toddler," Jinora confirmed. "The crew is the only family he's ever known. They're―they're a very good family, if unconventional."

"Unconventional seems to suit you, though," Miki said, and Jinora smiled at her.

"Thank you." Jinora's smile softened. "As much as I love my crew and my husband..." She held up her left hand, showing off her golden band. "My life has changed so much in the past year. But I'm glad this hasn't." Her three friends beamed at her. "So tell me, how have you all been?"

* * *

Fifteen minutes later Kai had led Pema and Tenzin down below decks to the old cabin boy's room. "This used to be mine, before I was captain," he explained. "And then it was Jinora's, so it fits that it'll be the baby's, and it's nice and close to our room."

Po and Nidhi had finished the crib the other day, blue-painted wood crafted into a cradle that somewhat resembled the slight shape of a the _Waterbender_ , with little swirling ocean waves expertly etched into the front and back panelling's corners. In the centre of the wood was an simple anchor, etched into the wood. Otaku had donated an old bookshelf he no longer used, which would soon be filled with children's books. Imaru had finished sewing a pale red rug with brown undertones, that lay on the floor close to the crib. A new dresser had been tucked into the corner, and the top could double as a changing table for diapers. An empty picture frame was hanging on the wall, as they were going to take a photo with the baby and the whole crew as soon as they could to put it in. Pabu was already talking excitedly about making a very detailed photo album.

"It's lovely," Pema said, looking extremely happy and rather teary-eyed. "Very sweet."

"Thank you, Mrs. Gyatso," Kai smiled. "Everyone's pitched in."

"Did the crew help with the wedding ceremony as well?" Pema asked, her eye catching his wedding ring.

Kai's smile faltered. "Yeah. I-I'm sorry we didn't invite you. I asked Jinora, but―she's in a tough place right now, I think. She's trying to figure out how both sides of her life can fit together. I know it's no excuse, but...She knows you love her, and that you're trying. It means a lot. To both of us."

Pema gave him a small smile. "Thank you, Kai. For taking care of her, you and your family."

Kai looked at her surprised, and then gave her a small smile as well. "Of course, Mrs. Gyatso."

"I was wondering when you wanted to look at your birth records," said Tenzin. His lips twitched upwards at the sight of the crib. It was excellent craftsmanship, after all. "Now, or?"

"I wanna wait for Jinora and Yung," Kai replied. "It's only fair, to them. To be there. Gyatso's bringing her friends over tomorrow, so we could look at them once she gets back? It should be soon, the men'll be coming back soon. Do you―would you like some tea?" he offered, and then internally smacked himself in the face, because they had a kitchen and servants for that, didn't they?

"I would," Pema smiled gently. "Thank you, Kai."

Kai led the way to the dining hall, and then put the kettle on the stove, full of hot water. He kept his back to them, finding it easier as he asked, "If I had asked, f-for your blessing, to marry your daughter, would you have given it?"

Pema and Tenzin glanced at each other. "Before today?" Tenzin said. "No. After today...I would have considered it." There was a slight smile in his voice, though, and Kai couldn't hold back his grin as he poured their tea.

* * *

 **A/N: Hey guys, I hope you liked this chapter. I just wanted to say that I recently started posting chapters of my original novel, "Alvoskia: Call of the Infrans" on Wattpad (chapters 1-5) and fictionpress (currently only has 1 chapter up, but I'll post the others soon) and I would really appreciate if you guys read it/commented on it. It would mean a lot!**

 **Thank you guys for all of your support, it means the world. :)**


	18. The Photograph

Chapter Eighteen: The Photograph

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Kai had finished his tea by the time he heard the creaking of the stairs, as Yung and Jinora came down together. He glanced up at him, his facing lighting up as he rose to greet them. "How'd it go?" he asked happily, leaning down to peck his wife on the cheek. His kiss touched the corner of her upturned lips.

"Good, it was wonderful to catch up with them all," Jinora beamed. "They're very excited to meet you. Shen Shen especially."

"Should I be worried?" he replied, his eyes gleaming with amusement. Jinora had told him all about her rather interesting friend, and her flirtatious habits.

"No," she giggled, and then glanced over his shoulder at her parents. "You're having tea?" She sounded both equally pleased and surprised.

"Yeah," Kai briefly took her hand as they walked to the dining table together and took their usual seats, of him at the head of the table with his wife and his first mate on either side of him. "I thought I'd show them the nursery, since Po and Nidhi finished the crib."

"The nursery really is quite quaint," Pema smiled, and Jinora returned it.

"I'm glad you think so, mother."

Kai wondered what his own mother would have thought of it all. He had very little memories of her of course, besides the day she had died. Remnants of her warmth, distant comfort at best. He couldn't even remember her smile. Maybe, if he tried, he'd be able to remember more, but he didn't like to dwell on it. He knew it was too tempting to the darkness that lived in his head, that memories, even happy ones, could quickly be poisoned by the memory of her death. Even now, he had to fight to pull himself back to the present, Jinora's hand in his an anchor that grounded him in the kitchen instead of his mind.

His wife squeezed his hand. _You still there?_

He squeezed hers in turn. _Yeah._

"Imaru's also been making some baby clothes, and the adjustment to the budget has been coming along nicely," Jinora continued. "But we'll be going to the Fire Nation for the end of summer, since Pabu's sister is getting married, and head back here as soon as we can so we can be nearby when the baby's born."

"Speaking of birthdays," Yung said. "I wonder if you'll be a winter baby, Cap. Always thought you might've been."

He and Kai shared a tiny smile. Now that most of the issues had been dealt with, at least temporarily, Kai felt nerves build in his chest. He was going to know his birthday, his mother's _name_ , where he was born. How old he was, exactly. His father's name...Maybe some information about his sister. And Tenzin had said there was a baby photo. He had never seen one of himself before. He could figure out where his mother's grave was and go visit her. For the first time, his history and family―however gone they were―was within his reach; all he had to do was grab the folder lying on the table in front of him, and take it.

Jinora squeezed his hand once again before letting go, and he reached for the folder, his hands shaking. A lump was rising in his throat. She placed her hand on his knee. "It's okay, love," she murmured.

Kai nodded. Yung and Jinora were here―part of him thought about asking for Pema and Tenzin to leave, sure they would offer, but that felt wrong, somehow. He wouldn't have had this without him.

"Would you like some privacy, Kai?" Pema asked gently, and he managed to shake his head.

"N-no...You're..." he swallowed hard. "You're Jinora's family, so you're my family too. You have a right to know this too."

His fingers fumbled as they grasped at the folder, and he pulled it over to himself, before cracking it open. He was more grateful than ever for Jinora's lessons of how to read. Sitting inside was a thin stack of loose paper, yellowed slightly from age. The first was a birth certificate, with big swirly letters and a smaller font underneath his eyes strained to make out.

 _Kai Kovu Fong was born on December 15th AAC at Omashu's General Hospital to Ming Nakamura-Fong and _. Weighed 7 lbs, secondborn._

His father's name wasn't there, but Kai couldn't bring himself to care. He knew his birthday. He knew where he had been born, knew his mother's name. Ming. It meant bright, clear, light. For a woman who's life had been dark, it felt ironic, yet also strangely fitting. Had Fong been his father's last name? It made him smile to think his mother had insisted on keeping her surname as well. Why did Nakamura sound familiar to him? It wasn't a common surname...

"You were right Yung," he managed, his voice tight. "Winter baby."

His first mate clapped him on the shoulder. "D'you need a moment, kid?"

His voice was as steady as his hands. "No, no, I'm okay..." Kai set the certificate down gently on the table, next to the open folder, before returning his attention to it.

The next piece of paper was a photo, old, and Kai's expression hardened at the sight of him. It was him as a child at the orphanage, sullen, four years old at the most, with a puffiness around his eyes from bruises and from holding back tears. _Child up for Adoption. Warning: behavioural issues._ He heard Yung inhale sharply from beside him.

"That _bitch_ ―" Yung hissed, clenching his fists. If he had thought Kai was in rough shape when he found him, it was nothing compared to the way he had been the orphanage, even more bruised, even thinner.

Jinora pursed her lips, feeling tears sting at her eyes. Kai set the photo down, turning it on its back. That part of his life was over now, for good. Gunthra would never be able to hurt him again.

The next article was a record from the hospital, an information filled out by Ming. Tears pricked at Kai's eyes when he saw they made some of their characters the same ways, the same sort of loopy handwriting. _Ming Nakamura. Born in the Lower Rim of Ba Sing Se. Mother of two children, girl (aged 6) and a newborn baby boy. Address is 1378 Kyoshi Avenue, Omashu._

Kai wondered if anyone lived in his old home. He could visit the next time they visited Omashu, even if he could only see the outside. He heard Yung sniffle and looked over to see tears rolling down his cheeks. "I found you just a couple of streets over, kiddo," he smiled tearfully.

Kai's brows knit together. "Yung―"

Pema handed the older pirate a handkerchief, looking rather teary-eyed herself. Yung dabbed at his eyes, which did little to stem the flow. "Don't mind me, kid, keep goin'."

Kai gave him a tiny smile, his green eyes―his mother's eyes―stinging, and hoped it somehow conveyed a fraction of how grateful he was for everything Yung had done for me. "If you're sure..." It might've been good for him to have a moment to collect himself as well, but Yung waved his hand dismissively, blowing his nose with the other.

There was an old advertisement for the orphanage in the newspaper, Gunthra's claws clamped down on his bony shoulder as Kai―nearly six, his last year in that godforsaken place―stood with a few of the other children on the orphanage's steps. Kai frowned, and crumpled up the paper, stalking over to the stove and throwing it into the fire. It went up in an exhaust of fire as Kai sank back into his chair.

Jinora rubbed soothing circles into his back, pressing a kiss to the side of his head. "It's okay love," she said again and somehow, he believed her.

When Kai saw what the next piece of paper was, his stomach dropped. He saw Jinora's eyes widen as the read the title: _Resigned Adoption Form._ As it slipped out of his fingers, Jinora picked it up, her eyes quickly scanning the paper. "Kai, what is this?" she breathed.

"It's nothing," he mumbled. "Jus' ignore it."

"But it says―"

"I know what it says."

"They...You were going to be adopted." Her voice was tight. "But they chose another boy instead...because you told them to."

Yung grabbed the paper from her. " _What_?" Yung mumbled the writing under his breath, "Mr and Mrs Zhang regret to inform that they will no longer be adopted Kai from Geishou Orphanage. Instead they will be taking Charo to his new forever home." Kai knew Gunthra hadn't bothered to read beyond the first line, having beaten him for being _a worthless piece of shit_ before locking him in the cupboard. At least it had been some place private to nurse his bruises. "They have done so at the request of Kai himself, for reasons he would not give, yet was persistent about the change all the same." Yung stared at him, grabbing his arm. "Well?"

Kai could feel everyone's eyes on him and placed his head in his hands. "Charo couldn't handle the orphanage―"

"No one could," Jinora said. "It was a vile place, you―" she quieted under his sad look, and bit down her words. Now wasn't the time to interrupt or disagree with him.

"Not the way I could. I...toughened up quickly, but Charo couldn't. He―he needed to get out. I couldn't just...he wouldn't have lasted another year. He wouldn't have lasted on the streets even. I..." Kai sighed. "I don't regret it."

"You―are―the―most―" Jinora said, her voice thick with tears, and for a split second Kai thought she was going to berate him, before she pulled him into a hug so tight it nearly hurt. " _Wonderful_ ― _man_..." Kai gathered her up in his arms, her shoulders shaking, and she buried her face in his chest, practically sitting in his lap.

Which he normally would not have minded, like at all, but her parents were _right there..._

Still, he pressed a kiss to her hairline. "Shh, Gyatso, love," he soothed her, brushing away her tears. "It's alright. If I hadn't given up that spot, I wouldn't have met Yung, or you, and we can't have that, can we?"

"You idiot," she hissed, sniffling, and he smiled slightly.

"That's more like it." He shifted over in his large chair to make room for her, as she seemed unwilling to let go, not that he minded. They fit, even if it was a bit cramped, their knees knocking together. The growing swell of her stomach didn't make it any easier. "And it was 17 years ago."

Yung wiped his own streaming eyes. "I wish I had found you sooner, kid," he croaked. He knew it was illogical, but sometimes he really did wish he had found Kai as a toddler, the day after he had lost his mother even. Saved him from the abuse of the orphanage before it had even begun. He would've been a 23 year old man with a toddler, and Zaheer never would have allowed it, but...

Kai smiled at him. "Don't worry about it, Yung. You saved me just in time." They shared a smile, and then Kai turned his attention back to the folder. There was one more article of information left: a polaroid photograph, like from Pabu's camera. Nearly trembling, Kai picked it up and slowly turned it over so he could see the actual photo, and his heart lodged itself in his throat.

It was him as a baby―a tuft of dark hair, happy green eyes and a gummy smile, with chubby cheeks and wearing some simple kind of pajamas; a him who had never known suffering, only joy―but that wasn't what made tears well in his eyes. Cradling him in her arms was his mother, Ming. Her dark hair was pulled back into a loose bed, curls spilling out. Her eyes were bright and happy, a wide smile on her young face. She was maybe in her mid to late twenties at the most. Her eyes were on him instead of the camera, and she was looking at him like he was the most beautiful, wonderful thing in the world, a mother's love for her child shining on her face.

Kai choked back a sudden sob. He had never seen her smile before, never had anything beyond her face, screwed up in pain as she protected him, as she died for him. He had wondered for years if she had regretted it―throwing her life away for him, a burden, worthless, surely another reason she had stayed with his father in that hellhole―and deep down, he had known she had loved him, and yet... Here was proof. She had _loved_ him. He had been her whole world, or at least half of it, the other half being his sister.

She loved him the way a parent was supposed to love their child. She had died willingly for him― _she had loved him_.

"I'm fine," he managed, his voice weak. He looked so much like her, from the hair to the skin to the eyes. He had her smile. Relief crashed over him, because if he had had his bastard father's smile, he didn't know if he would ever be able to smile again. "'M fine."

"She's beautiful," Yung said very softly.

Kai nodded, swallowing thickly. "Y-yeah. She was." He felt Jinora wrap her arms around his torso, hugging him gently from behind. Could she feel his heart aching, thrumming with a strange kind of joy and sadness? He stared at the picture for what felt like forever, and barely long enough, tracing his mother's features, her smile. Finally, he tore his gaze away and looked up at Pema and Tenzin, grateful that his eyes were now dry. "Thank you," he said, and it didn't feel like enough, for what they had given him―for what Tenzin had given him.

Pema was dabbing at her eyes, and Tenzin nodded, giving him a very small, slightly sad smile. "You're welcome, Kai," he said quietly.

And somehow it was enough.

* * *

After a long, albeit happy day, Jinora was glad to retire to their room. Kai trailed silently after her, and shut the door as she walked to her dresser, stripping off her clothes. Kai set the folder from the orphanage on his dresser, carefully smoothing out the photograph of him and his mother. They'd have to get a frame for it, or at least some kind of protective layer. Their room was dark and quiet, the rest of the crew having already gone to bed.

Jinora pulled off her blouse, hanging it on the knob of her dresser. "What did my father want to talk to you about?" she asked softly.

Kai glanced at her as he undid his sword belt with practiced ease, even if his hands were still shaking ever so slightly. "You. LingShi, the orphanage..abuse. The uh...apparently mental health issues can be passed down to kids."

"I learned that in school," said Jinora softly, "during a special Health Ed class. It wasn't mandatory. We'll be okay, Captain. Our baby will be okay. Even if our child...even if it is passed along, that just means you'll be equipped to help them deal with it, right?"

"I guess so," Kai said, but his heart already felt much lighter. It was nice to just be completely honest and alone with each other. "Now that we know my mom's name, we can start figuring out baby names."

She smiled. "Yeah." She glanced at her dresser as she went to hang up her bra, seeing Lee's letter lying on top, still unopened. She'd read it tomorrow, she decided. Tonight she was just too tired.

"Did you have a good time with your friends?" He hung up his belt and then threw his dirty pants in the small basket they had set aside for dirty clothes.

"It was really nice to see them again." His wife's smile grew. "Pfannee had some really good advice on being a first time mom, and they're all excited to meet you, so that will be easy going tomorrow. Miki said there was this new restaurant in town that was really good and not very expensive; she's quite frugal with her money."

"We could go out for dinner," Kai suggested. "Just the two of us." It wasn't often they got to have dates like a normal couple.

Jinora nodded. "I'd like that." Her smile faltered a little. "They asked a bit, about LingShi. They had seen the engagement in the papers."

Kai pursed his lips. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." Her cheeks were wet. "But it's fine, really, I..."

Kai lightly wrapped his hands around her forearms, tugging her towards him. "Where'd he hit you?" Kai murmured, and Jinora felt her arms go slack in his firm grip, protests rising in her throat, but the look in her husband's eyes―tenderness and concern all woven together―made her throat go dry as she stammered out her reply.

"My wrists, usually." She could remember the bruises, pulling down the sleeves of her dresses even in summer to hide them. Kai gently pulled her closer to him, before raising one of her arms and pressing his mouth softly to the inside of her wrist. "K-Kai, what're you―?"

"Keep going," he whispered, and she knew this was for him almost as much as it was for her. He softly kissed the inside of her other wrist, before glancing up at her, his bright eyes finding hers in the dark. Jinora let out a long exhale.

"My hip, just a couple of times," she mumbled. His hands left her arms and curled around the backs of her thighs, raising one hand to tug down her skirt; it hit the floor without a sound. He trailed his mouth over the slope of her hip, moving his mouth slowly, tenderly. She tangled one hand in his hair as he moved to the other hip, giving it the same gentle treatment. He ran his hands up and down her back as he got to his feet again, holding her close.

"Your cheeks," he said softly, and she nodded. Kai pressed soft little kisses all over her face, over her brow and the bridge of her nose, her eyelids and her cheeks and her jaw, even to the tip of her nose.

"He..." Jinora's voice wavered once Kai had finished. "He c-choked me once, when I threatened to tell my family. I never..." Kai gently cupped her jaw, and trailed soft kisses down her neck, kissing every inch of skin that had ever been hurt. As he moved to the other side of her neck, Jinora buried her face in his shoulder.

"Anywhere else?" Kai breathed.

"No," her voice was barely audible, and she looked up at him, reflecting the tenderness in his eyes.

"LingShi is never going to hurt you again," he promised.

Jinora managed the tiniest of smiles, glad that she knew the next words she spoke were undeniably true. "I know." She trailed her fingers over his lips, and Kai nipped gently at them, her body warm against his, his pants the only remaining layer between them. Jinora's hand went to his jaw, cupping it as she leaned in and kissed him, a quiet, _needy_ groan leaking out of her lips.

They stumbled back to their bed, and she pulled him on top of her, helped him out of his pants, and then they were moving together, her thighs tight around his hips as he made love to her. Their moans punctured the creaking of their bed, their room and bodies warm and dark.

He was panting as he pulled away from her mouth, their bodies still joined, moving, her hands on his shoulders, clinging to him. "I love you," he murmured hoarsely.

Every part of her held him tighter, pressing her mouth against his in a fumbling kiss. "I love you too."

They woke up tangled up in each other's warmth, and the world was at peace.


	19. The APA

Chapter 19: The APA

* * *

They were a mess of tangled limbs and warm blankets, his face buried in her hair, his arms snug around her waist while she had hers draped over his, her hands resting on his chest. The blankets barely covered her waist, leaving most of their upper halves bare, but sharing body heat by holding each other more than made up for it. Still, Kai shivered slightly as he blearily opened his eyes, and he gently pulled up the blankets further over them.

He didn't want to wake her, but he also knew he needed to get up for the day. He had Captain duties to attend to before he met with her friends from secondary school, and he wanted to make sure he had time for seeing Rohan again―he couldn't let the kid down, not when the boy looked up to him so much. Good preparation for fatherhood, he guessed, having to teach by example. The crew knew all his mistakes yet wanted him as Captain anyway, because he had grown from them, and had the maturity that adults did, all of them. Kids didn't.

He gently slid one hand to Jinora's stomach, which was swelling with maternity. The baby bump seemed to get bigger every day, even it it still felt surreal sometimes that there was a _life_ growing inside, a life he and Jinora had created. He had and Jinora would have to start seriously looking for names, now that he knew his mother's.

Ming Nakamura-Fong.

Kai tightened his hold on Jinora. He'd always make sure she was protected, no matter what happened to him. He wouldn't let his wife or his child ever end up in the same situation as his mother, or himself as a child.

Jinora roused, blinking sleepily, and his worries ebbed away as she smiled a little at him. "Morning love," she greeted, pressing a sloppy kiss to his jaw. "You have to get up?"

"Yeah," he planted kisses in her hair. "Need to check routes with Otaku for tomorrow and run them by Skoochy."

"Hmm." She didn't look entirely convinced that that was the only thing on his mind. "Alright. But don't worry, Captain. My friends will love you, Rohan already adores you, my mother is already on your side, and you made good progress with both of my parents yesterday."

"How do you always know what to say?" he asked, casting her an admiring look.

She smirked slightly. "I don't know about _always_ ―"

Kai kissed her. "Just take the compliment, Gyatso," he mumbled, before sliding his mouth over hers again. They stayed like that for a few minutes, licking and nipping at the rawness of the morning from each other's mouths, before he finally, regretfully pulled away. "Get some extra sleep. You'll need it once the baby's here," he said, dragging himself out of bed.

"You have been sleeping better lately, haven't you?" Jinora checked, resting her head on his pillow and curling into their warm bed. The fuzzy blankets were pulled over her chest but left her shoulders and collarbone showing, which Kai greatly appreciated.

He pulled on pants and then his sword belt, before reaching for his half of the anchor pendant hanging from their bed post. He looped the string over his neck, and then leaned down, pressing a kiss to the crook of her neck. "All thanks to you, love." He sucked on her skin for a moment and she let out a happy little hum, before he managed to find some self control again. "Once we're out at sea again, and trading starts to die down, I promise we'll spend a day in bed."

She smiled fondly, memories of their first morning and day together as a couple coming back to her. "Mm. I'll hold you to that, Captain. When will that be? So I can start planning all the...fun things we can do?"

Kai swallowed hard at the smug look on her face. "You're cruel. But it should be around late May or early June."

Jinora laughed, tucking back some messy strands of her hair. "So, when I'm nearly six months pregnant?"

"Something like that." He grinned at her, bending down to kiss her briefly on the lips. "I'll see you at breakfast."

Jinora rolled over onto her back, stretching her arms and craning her neck to watch the muscles of his back move, his tattoos and scars rippling with the movements, as he pulled on a shirt. "Too bad," she mused. "When you could be having me for breakfast instead."

Kai narrowed his eyes at her, pouting, and she laughed again. She was still giggling until he kissed her hard, his mouth greedy against hers. She was just short of panting when he tugged on her bottom lip before pulling away. "And I will be taking you up on that sooner rather than later, Gyatso. Now, stop tempting me, and go back to bed. The sun's not even up yet."

This time when he went to leave, Jinora let him. "Love you," she called, all teasing gone.

He gave her a smile before shutting the door. "Love you too."

Going over financials with Otaku didn't take as long as Kai had expected―"With the Governor's money, the safety bunker will be much more manageable, and that money can be devoted to other things such as medicine, ship repairs, and other things the baby will need," Otaku had reported―so Kai happily joined Skoochy up on deck. Ryu was coming down from his shift on lookout duty, and declined their offer of cigarettes.

"Always so grumpy when he doesn't get sleep," Skoochy said once the bored man was gone. "My brother was like that..." Skoochy quickly took a puff of his cigarette, and Kai didn't press it; he knew dwelling on Skoochy's family made him said. "Y'think, now that the Governor has resources, he'd be able to find 'em?"

"Maybe," said Kai with a slight frown. "Don't know how much he'd actually be to do, or how much he's involved. The APA might be a better bet. Jinora could ask Sono. I bet he'd do it for her." His frown deepened. It couldn't hurt to have connections―still, the knowledge that another man was head over heels for his wife wasn't exactly the sort of thing a man wanted to know. If it meant helping Skoochy, though... "What's your surname, again?"

"Slaves don't get 'em," Skoochy shrugged. "We get the name of the slave settlement we're raised on. My family would be under Nakamura."

Kai's fingers jerked and crushed the bottom of his cigarette. His heart was pounding fast in his ears. "Nakamura?" he repeated, and Skoochy nodded, now looking concerned. "Did―does the name Ming Nakamura sound familiar at all? Or Ming Fong?"

"Not that I can think of," said Skoochy slowly. "If, uh, Ming was on a ship with a bunch of other Nakamura slaves, or if she was taken by Nakamuran slave traders, she would've been given that name. Why're you asking?"

"Just..." Skoochy was his brother in everything but blood. Kai took a deep breath. "Governor Gyatso managed to find my birth records. It had some information on my mother, you know she was a slave. Her full name was Ming Nakamura-Fong."

Skoochy's eyes widened, and then he clapped Kai on the shoulder. "Huh. She might've kept her surname and her slave designation, in order to make it easier for her family to find her. But sorry Cap, it doesn't sound familiar."

"S'alright," Kai mumbled. "I know more now, anyway. Do...do you ever think we'll stop wondering about who we could've been?" As much as Kai loved his life, he wouldn't deny that it had been hard in numerous ways. In a perfect world, a life with his mother and his crew and his wife could have coexisted, and but he couldn't help but wonder what if.

"No," said Skoochy. "But I like us just as we are, despite everything."

Kai managed a smile. "You're right, Skooch." His friend handed him a new cigarette and lit it. Kai took a puff as they both stared out at the horizon, the sun rising and making the water glitter like a jewel. "Hey uh, it's more of an Earth Kingdom tradition, but, Gyatso's sister is gonna be the godmother, of the baby. I'd like you to be godfather, if you wouldn't mind."

Skoochy glanced at him with a broad grin. "I'd be honoured, little brother."

Kai shoved him in the shoulder. "I'm not little."

"Little enough to me."

Kai hung his head and laughed. "Thanks, Skoochy. Seriously. You're the only reason I like myself, some days." Despite everything, Kai knew at the very least, he had truly helped Skoochy, and even on his worst days, that fact remained indisputable.

Skoochy's grin softened. "Anytime, Kai."

* * *

In the three months or so since Kai had least seen Rohan, the kid had grown. Half an inch maybe, but Kai was still able to pick him up when Rohan flung himself at him. "Whoa, kiddo―" Kai caught him just in time, as he and Jinora came onto the island's docks and had started up the stone path towards the mansion. "Give me a little warning next time!" Kai laughed, setting Rohan down and ruffling his hair.

"I wanted to see you before the girls did," said Rohan, Pema and Tenzin hovering behind him up at the backdoor steps to the mansion.

"Girls?"

"They're ladies, Rohan," Jinora corrected him. "My friends, Shen Shen Sesi―"

"Miki Nanuq and Pfannee Wen," finished Kai. "I remember, love."

"And because we have them over we're using the big fancy table and the servants are giving us fresh fish from the market," Rohan chattered on excitedly, before Pema called over to him, and the nine-year-old scampered off back to his mother.

"Servants?" Kai repeated, glancing at Jinora. "We―we're being _served_?"

Jinora caught the nervous look on his face. "Sorry, it slipped my mind, I-I suppose you've never been served before, have you?"

"Not really. Not by anyone other than a bartender," he said worriedly. "Oh God, do I need to know what cutlery to use and everything and―"

She took his hand. "Relax, love. It's just lunch. Miki has never been stuck up, Pfannee's life didn't exactly go the direction she thought, so she's not going to judge you either, and Shen Shen will judge you no matter what status you come from. Breathe. It'll be fine, Kai, I promise. Where's that cockiness that annoyed me?"

Kai took a deep breath. "Somewhere underneath miles of insecurity. And that was different, I didn't care what you thought of me. Much, anyway."

"You cared even in the beginning?" Jinora asked.

"More than I ever would have admitted."

She squeezed his hand. "Me too. And now I know exactly what I think of you: you are a good man, not a perfect one, whether or not you know which fork to use, Kai. You'll be fine." She pecked him on the cheek, and she could feel his jaw relax.

"Right. You're right, love. Like always." He squeezed her hand back. "Just uh―don't let go, okay?"

"Never." She let out a sigh, and he wondered if she felt nervous too. "You ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," said Kai. "Girls can be vicious."

Jinora snorted. "Women of high society are the most vicious of all, then."

Kai gulped as they headed inside, and Jinora led him by the hand into the dining hall. It was a large circular room, with grand columns, spindly tables of polished wood holding vases with fresh flowers. Next to the tiny tables were servants, dressed in black suits with straight backs and cold eyes as the footmen surveyed him, looking immensely unimpressed; Kai shrugged them off. Shiny silverware was laid on elaborately on the table―with five fancy sets of cutlery assigned to each plate―and Tenzin, Pema and Rohan were already seating, as was Ikki and Meelo, and he vaguely remembered Jinora telling her their school term had ended a view days before. The family was grouped together predominantly on one side, and on the other sat Jinora's three friends.

Kai could tell them apart, as Jinora had shown them to him in old photographs. Pfannee Wen had a distinctly wispy air about her, as if she had simply flitted from place to place without a care in the world, but there was also a hardness in her eyes, in the simple plait she wore her black hair in; she had been grounded, rooted, chained at first, but then had chosen to take a stand and hadn't faltered in it.

Miki Nanuq had soft brown eyes, freckles dusted across her rosy cheeks. Her skin was pale, her hair a light brown and pulled into elegant curls that seemed to be more about keeping her hair out of her eyes when she read than for style; however, it proved that hair could multitask just as well as a woman could. Her clothes were modest, still finer than Pfannee's, yet Kai still felt underdressed compared to all of them; he suspected he always would.

Shen Shen Sesi drew his attention the most, but that was simply the way she was: she demanded attention, in her elaborate dark hair braided back, in the haughtiness of her expression, her sharp features. There was a cunning gleam in her eyes―like she'd break your heart and enjoy it. Her clothes were a deep purple, rich against her dark skin, with golden jewelry at her throat. Everything about her radiated wealth, privilege, an awareness of her status.

Kai felt a prickle of irritation crawl up his neck and forced it down. This was no time to resent the rich for having so much when so many had so little.

All three women looked at him, and Kai stared back. This was no different than a fist fight: show no fear, and you wouldn't get eaten alive.

"Pfannee, Shen Shen, Miki, this is Kai, the Captain of the _Waterbender,_ " Jinora introduced. Kai wasn't sure whether to wave or not, but luckily Miki smiled at him.

"It's nice to meet you, Kai," she said. "Jinora's told us a lot about you."

Kai managed a smile he hoped came off more as charming (but not _flirty_ ) than nervous. "It's nice to meet you too, ma'am. All of you."

He and his wife took their seats near one of the curves of the table, but it was a relief to have Jinora closer to her friends, and be by her side. He didn't know how he could've got through the lunch otherwise. Ikki was closest to him out of Jinora's family, then Rohan and Pema, so at least he had that to fall back on.

"Have you graduated?" he asked Ikki, partly out of interest, but also to get the attention off of him.

"Soon," she replied. "I'm home this week, since exams finished and they're marking them now." She fidgeted almost nervously in her lap.

"I'm sure you did very well," Kai told her, and she smiled, opening her mouth to say 'Thank you' when she was cut off.

"Kai, you never went to school, did you?"

He looked away from Ikki, his insides turning cold and hot all at once when he saw it was Shen Shen who had spoken. "No," he answered, and Jinora squeezed his hand under the table. "The slums of Geishou didn't offer many opportunities for education for street rats."

"But Kai can write!" Rohan chirped. "He's been writing me letters, and I'll send him star charts and he'll correct them."

Kai smiled at him. "There's not that many corrections that need to be made, kiddo." Rohan beamed with pride, and Shen Shen shook back her hair haughtily, as if being snubbed had wounded her pride, somehow.

"And you've been the captain of your ship since you were―?" Miki asked.

"Sixteen," he answered.

"That's young," she remarked softly. "Jinora did say you got injured around eight months ago? By the former captain of your ship?"

Kai nodded, swallowing hard. "Zaheer of the Red Lotus. Yes. But I'm fine now. Our medic is a genius." He glanced at Rohan, Ikki and Meelo, trying to gauge their reactions; they seemed surprised, and Rohan seemed a little upset. "He patched me up real―very good."

"Where did he study medicine?" asked Miki.

"Nowhere, really. Uh, nowhere official, anyway. He learned what he could in his home town, and through travelling―he studied with sea witches, actually, for a bit," Kai explained.

"So they _are_ real?"

"Very real. They hide themselves away most of the time, they don't like to bothered. But if you have the money, or a bargain, most of 'em love bargains, they might do you a favour or two. The sea witches have more sympathy for the poor, though." He thought of the slums of Geishou, shacks in Paradise on grimy streets, reclusive islands with tiny, penniless populations: places the rich would never dare go, even if they more easily had the money for it. Besides, much of the sea witches offered in remedies or cures were readily available to the upper classes. It was the poor who had to sacrifice everything they had for just one potion.

"Jinora said you joined the crew very young," said Pfannee. "What was it like growing up on a pirate ship?"

"It was...never boring," Kai said with a small smile. "There was always something to do, mostly chores. Cooking, cleaning, laundry."

Shen Shen looked at him curiously. "That sounds like women's work."

Kai met her gaze. "Women are the backbone of society. They're the reason anything else can function." She blinked in surprise, but Miki just looked satisfied. "Besides, as an all-male crew―well, we _used_ to be." He gave Jinora a grin. "Anyway, we all have to pitch in to take care of each other and ourselves."

"Are any of your crew married?" asked Pfannee. "Any children?"

"Uhh, no. Most pirates don't end up having families. Or don't have them very long." He thought of his crew, half of them orphans, scorned by the world moments after being born. "It's a sporadic life. But my men know they're free to leave whenever they wish, for whatever reason they wish. A few of the men are in relationships; our navigator has a girl in Dishow, fresh out of law school. And then two of our boys, they're a cute couple together."

"Two of your men are together?" said Shen Shen, looking surprised.

Kai glanced at Rohan, before meeting her gaze evenly. "Yes. Is there a problem?"

"Not at all." Shen Shen smiled slightly, but from what Kai could see it was genuine. "My cousin is looking to propose to his gentlemen friend this summer, he asked me to go look at rings with him, since I have an eye for jewelry. I'm going to be the Maid of Honour."

The luncheon was much more relaxed after that. Even if Kai didn't feel entirely comfortable, it was good to know he had allies, at least, Pema and Jinora steering the conversation away from him as much as possible. It was easy to sit back and observe, which suited him much better. The conversation floated around him, focussing on work and shopping and school, the new beau Shen Shen was seeing, Pfannee's son Lee Wen being nearly ready for grade school, and her subsequent advice, from one mother to an expecting one. He had glimpsed women of high society on the streets, pity in their eyes, or disdain for the beggars and orphans. The Zhang family who had hoped to adopt him had been well-off, and very faintly, Kai could remember that Mrs. Zhang had been very kind. Still, upon first meeting her Jinora had been everything and nothing he had expected.

Jinora had been all sharp edges with a sharper wit, soft and smooth when at ease. Within a week she had cut her hair, drank, swore, changed her clothes, slouched and chewed with her mouth full, not including being relentless in her dislike of him. Seeing the contrast between her and her friends was striking; maintaining such a stubborn stance in herself and her opinions had taken strength. He could see the way, even among old friends, her friends were hesitant to share their opinions, to speak too boldly, especially to Tenzin. Accepting a man's belief had become second nature, and in a way it made him sad. Their spirits weren't broken, and Kai knew they wouldn't be, but the fact that they had been chipped away at all was still a tragedy of itself.

Rohan pulled him away after luncheon to look at star charts, and Kai was fine to leave the girls alone. Ikki and Meelo stayed behind as well, Pema and Tenzin talking to them about school, so the four women headed out into the gardens. A nice breeze was rolling off the water, the Waterbender moored at the harbour. Pfannee and Miki went to go investigate, once Rohan had finished showing off his star charts, and Kai escorted them all down, while Jinora and Shen Shen hung back.

"He's nothing like a man of high society," said Shen Shen, raising her brows as Rohan gave Kai an admiring look, and then stooped down to give the young boy a piggyback ride. "No wonder you like him so much, Jinora."

"I'll take that as a compliment, which I'm sure is what you intended," said Jinora dryly. Shen Shen gave a very unladylike snort. "So, approve? I know Miki and Pfannee do."

"Do you really care for my approval?" Shen Shen asked skeptically.

"You mean will I change my mind about my relationship with him depending on the outcome? No. But approval would be greatly appreciated."

"I'll withhold my approval once he's proved himself."

"And how will he do that?"

"By remaining faithful."

Jinora gaped at her, and then narrowed her eyes. "Kai would never―"

"He's a _pirate_ , Jinora. A sailor. Flings and one night stands in the way their love works. I should know, I've slept with sailors. I may not be one to talk in terms of selectiveness of suitors, but when I meet a man worthy of me I shall settle down properly and have no other. We both know Kai's slept with other women. I wouldn't be surprised if you're the first woman he's ever properly been with, and I'm using the word proper very loosely. All I'm saying is, it's not in a pirate's nature to be stagnant. It's not in the sea, nor a sailor's nature, to be restrained. He has been faithful, yes, but will he be? Once the novelty has worn off, in five years? In ten? That is much harder to tell."

Shen Shen placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, squeezing it, before continuing. "I do like him. If I'm being honest, seeing his physical appeal makes me realize exactly why you left, because _damn_ ―but back to my point. I do like the man, I do think he wants to do right by you. But will he? Good intentions can always go astray. I just don't want you to get hurt again. When Lee left you, you were heartbroken―"

"I never loved Lee," Jinora said fiercely. "Not in the way I love Kai―"

"Then I'm even more worried. Pirates, love, they're two things that are hardly permanent. I don't want to fight you. I just wanted to give you another perspective to consider, like a real politician. You were always better at handling politics in school than I was; of course, if anyone asks, I'll deny admitting that."

Jinora felt her anger ebb away, and accepted her friend for what she knew was being offered: honesty, even if Jinora didn't agree with it. "Thank you, Shen Shen." She pulled her friend into a tight hug.

When they pulled away, Shen Shen said, "So, if the baby's a girl you'll be naming her after me, of course?"

Jinora laughed, and tried to push away what Shen Shen had said. Her worries about Kai were completely ridiculous. Weren't they? It was still nagging in the back of her mind as she hugged her friends goodbye a few hours later, Kai tightly holding her hand. They only started speaking once they got back to their room.

"I survived," he said dryly, and she smiled.

"You excelled," she replied. "Won them all over."

"Even Shen Shen?"

Her smile faltered for a moment. "Just about."

He studied her for a moment, before placing his hands on her hips and tugging her towards him. Jinora nestled herself in his arms, thinking maybe he'd let it go, when he asked, "Something wrong, love?"

Jinora squirmed. "Well, it's just...Shen Shen was saying how pirates sleep around―how―how you might get _bored_ of me, in five or ten or who knows how many years, and I know it's stupid, but I just―"

"I am never, ever going to get bored with you," Kai said firmly. "You kinda ruined me, Jin. Now that I've had you, why would I ever want anyone else? No one else is going to be able to satisfy me, Gyatso. Not that you do, not really―you drive me crazy, but you already knew that. Besides, from what you've told me of Shen Shen, it doesn't seem like she's a very good judge of character anyway."

"She's not," Jinora admitted, feeling immensely better.

"Exactly." Kai took her face in his hands and placed a kiss on her temple. "What do you say we go out to dinner tomorrow, just the two of us? Port Bosco has food from all over."

Jinora placed her hands over his, smiling. "That does sound nice." It wasn't often they went out for real, regular-couple sort of dates, and she knew how much of a treat this was. "Are you sure we can afford it―"

Kai cut her off with a kiss, pulling away and resting his forehead against hers. "Let me figure that out. Besides, you're worth it. You're priceless, Jin."

A dull flush coloured her cheeks besides herself. "I am very lucky that you're my husband, and the father of my child. And I know of course, we've already made a baby, but it can't hurt to practice?" She reached for his shirt, and Kai chuckled.

"Not at all," he grinned, and then kissed her again, their mouths separating only a few times to help each other out of their clothes. Her warm skin slid against his, their bodies locked together as they moved as one, her hands in his hair, his hands sliding up from her hips to her waist to her breasts, grasping at skin. Each time, there was some kind of wanting to claim the other as their own―to defy everything else that had ever said they shouldn't have been together.

When they were spent, their arms grazed each other as they both laid on their backs, their shoulders brushing as they tried to catch their breath. Kai took her hand and laced their fingers together. "Things are looking up Jin," he told her happily. "I can feel it."

She found it was almost too easy to believe him.

* * *

When Kai had said Port Bosco had a wide variety of food, he hadn't been kidding. There were stalls, little shops, and restaurants of all kind, boasting Fire Flakes from the Fire Nation capitol, salads made from imported cabbages from Omashu, traditional Air Nomad fruit pies, food from every place or walk of life, or at least that's what it seemed.

Kai let her take everything in, picking and choosing whatever she wanted. They ate and nearly burnt their tongues on Fire Flakes and saucy komodo-chicken, ordered fruit smoothies from the best place in Port Bosco, grabbed a cup of warm tea from a local Jasmine Dragon as the sun slowly set and the air chilled.

They were walking hand in hand along the harbour, watching the sun set over the water. Some sail boats were already underwear, not catching much wind, but it looked picturesque, and Jinora wished she had Pabu's camera. To capture this moment in all its perfection, and live in it forever. Her friends approved, her father was getting there, they had a baby on the way, the money to afford it, and she had her husband at her side.

"Do you ever wish the world could just stop?" she asked him, leaning into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her. "So you could just stay in a moment forever?"

He nodded, his chin bumping into her shoulder. "Every moment I'm with you."

Her heart melted at the seriousness of his voice, even if she wrinkled her nose. "Captain, you―"

"I mean it," he said softly. "You make me happy, Jinora. Happier than I ever thought possible. The only reason I'm okay with the world still spinning is because I know we're only gonna get happier than we already are." His hands went down to her swollen belly. "I love you, Jinora Gyatso."

"I love you too." She smiled as she leaned up to kiss him, his upturned lips meeting hers. She pulled away slowly, the sun meeting the water and turning everything orange and pink. "We should head back."

He took her hand and wound their fingers together, letting their arms swing slightly as they walked back to the harbour where Air Temple Island's little ferry was waiting for them. They boarded, along with a few of the crew, all chattering happily. It was rare any of them ate dinner outside of the ship, as it was more expensive, but after everything and how much money they were making, Kai figured they all deserved a treat.

As soon as they set foot on the Island, however, somehow Kai knew something was wrong. Years of being a pirate had led him to trusting his gut feelings, and it was confirmed when an out of breath Momo scrambled over to him. "Mo―?" Kai caught the skinny man before he could fall.

"APA officers, at the ship―" Momo gasped, and Imaru was on his heels.

"They're looking for you, Cap," the larger man added.

Jinora's grip on his hand went slack. "Is Lee―?"

"No, no, it's that Chow guy, LingShit, or whatever the bastard's name is."

Jinora turned pale, and Kai felt anger spark in his gut. "I oughta―" Slit his throat? Draw out his death? "Are they searching the ship?"

"They have the warrants for it," said Imaru. "I don't know how they got it approved by Kuvira so fast, but they won't find much, not enough illegal merch on the ship 'cause of trading, they're threatening to arrest Yung since he's first mate but they can't, not with the evidence―"

" _What_?!" Kai snapped.

"Lack of evidence won't matter to LingShi," said Jinora, her voice shaking. "It might once they get to a station, they should have to let him go, if LingShi's grubby money doesn't sway them..."

Kai let go of her hand and started towards the mansion, taking only a few steps. "I can't let them do that to Yung."

"But they will have enough evidence to convict you―" Jinora grabbed his arm, forcing him to face her, her eyes blazing. "My parents are trying to control the situation, I'm guessing?"

"For now," said Momo, holding back tears. He always looked like a spooked mouse when he was terrified. "But it can't last. We need to get out of here."

"We can't leave everyone else," said Kai fiercely. "We―"

"Everyone drop your weapons," a snide voice said from behind them, and they turned around to find APA officers giving them thin, cunning smiles. "Captain Kai, of the Waterbender, surrender yourself and we won't have to arrest the rest of your crew―unless you're willing to testify against them? It'd lessen your sentence."

Kai scowled as he took out his dagger and sword and threw them at the officers' feet. "Go to hell."

The taller officer whistled, a signal to the rest of the officers still back at the ship, and then fixed Kai with an infuriatingly superior sneer. "Ah, but that's where you're going. Don't you know the sentence for piracy is death?" He pulled out handcuffs and Kai rolled his shoulders, biting his tongue as the metal clinked shut, digging into his skin as the officer tightened it.

"It's probably the only thing in that tiny brain of yours," Kai said. He got shoved to the ground for it, and Imaru grabbed Jinora before she could run to him.

"It'll just make it worse," he whispered sadly. Tears pricked at her eyes, her bottom lip trembling as the officers hauled Kai roughly to his feet.

"We're taking you back to your precious ship, Captain," the taller officer snarled. The shorter one picked up Kai's weapons. "LingShi Chow wants to see you. You better hope he doesn't charge the Gyatsos with harbouring a criminal like you."

Kai felt his anger give way to worry. "The Gyatsos had no idea we were here," he lied. "They were picking up their children from boarding school. They came back earlier than expected, that's all."

It quickly became apparent to Jinora just how much they were all going to have to lie to work their way out of this―no, Kai was a terrible captain; yes, the crew did criminal acts only out of fear; no, her family didn't care about him―she felt a sob in her throat build as she thought of the last lie they might have to tell. No, she didn't love him; she had been forced to carry his child. She suddenly felt sick, the morning sickness she had gotten used to throughout her pregnancy paling in comparison.

"I'm not going to lie," she choked out to Imaru, her voice as hard as her eyes, flashing in anger. "I'd rather go to prison with my husband than lie. And they wouldn't hang a pregnant woman, even if the father of her child is a pirate."

"You might not have to lie." Imaru placed a heavy hand on her shoulder. "We have to do what's best in the long run. We'll figure it out. But don't do anything rash. That's not going to help anyone, let alone him."

Damn his logic, yet Jinora let it ground her all the same.

She saw her parents and the rest of her crew all gathered on the _Waterbender_ 's deck, along with twenty or so APA officers. Her stomach dropped when she saw Yung arguing with a few officers, her mother and father looking stricken. Rohan was clinging to Pema's leg.

"―he's not even here, and you have no proof of piracy and―" Yung's voice faltered and broke as he saw Kai being shoved forwards, his hands chained behind him.

"Look what we have here."

Such a simple statement shouldn't have been able to spark such rage, but Kai wanted nothing more than to kill the man who had spoken; LingShi Chow was looking unbearably smug, his dark eyes gleaming with cruelty and superiority. He was more than pleased about the way things had turned out in his favour.

LingShi's eyes flickered to Jinora for a moment. "I see you knocked up your whore. Pity. Now you really are stuck with a filthy slut like her forever."

Kai's former complacency vanished, and he lunged at him. Three officers had to grab to hold him back, and even then he struggled, snarling. "One day―I am going to― _rip―you―apart_ with my bare hands―"

"Ah ah ah," LingShi wagged a disapproving finger. "Uttering death threats can increase the severity of your sentence. They don't have to make your death nice and quick, after all. Although, before you're officially arrested, is there anything you'd like to say for yourself in defence? Captains can legally confirm their crew's illegal activity. Or the Gyatsos would suffer a blow. It'd get you off of death row."

Kai staggered to his feet, glancing back at Jinora who was shaking her head, blinking back tears, but she knew she couldn't change his mind. "I take full responsibility for all crimes I have allegedly committed, and in doing so it clears my men and the Gyatso family of all possible charges that could be held against them. However, this is not a confession. You need evidence to kill a man, no matter what his status."

LingShi sneered at him. "All you need to kill a man is money. The Dai Li are proof of that."

 _There's a certain payment I'm hoping to collect that's worth much more_ , Long Feng had said. Had LingShi bribed them? Paid them to follow the _Waterbender_? At that moment, Kai didn't really care. He just couldn't believe how far LingShi had gone to get his revenge.

"Officers, take him down to the station. We can start filing the paperwork for his appointment with the gallows in the morning."

"Now wait just a moment," said Tenzin crossly, and Kai looked at him in surprise. The Governor's face was grave, pinched in anger. "In accordance with the law you cannot kill a man just for claims of piracy. First you must identify that the suspect is indeed the man you are claiming to be, and you must separate the lies from the truth in claiming crimes against him. If you claim one crime is true but it is not, you must wait until the error has been sorted to legally sentence him. Your family may have money, but so does mine, and as Governor of this city I will stand by and let you blindly kill a man without first proving that you have any reason beyond pettiness to do so."

LingShi blinked, and a few of the officers shuffled uneasily, before the man gave the Governor a greasy smirk. "Of course, Governor Gyatso. Although, a pirate having a trial is unheard of. Are you willing to stake a claim for this man? Is he worth the risk?"

"Governor," said Kai quickly, "you don't―"

"No, I don't need to. But I will never forgive myself if I don't." Tenzin took Pema's hand in one and Jinora's in the other, the latter choking back a sob. "I will stand by this man whatever comes. I will ensure that he is given a fair trial."

It felt like the air had been knocked out of him, as Kai stared, unbelieving. Did Tenzin realize what he had just done, risking his election, his good reputation, even his wealth and status, hell, his family's security? But when they shared a grave look, Kai realized that Tenzin knew what he had put on the line all too well.

"Very well," said LingShi, surprised and then indifferent. "Officers, take the criminal away."

"Friends of the arrested are allowed to come to ensure no foul play," said Yung, glowering. There was no familiar twinkle in his eyes, his eyes cold and unflinching. LingShi looked like he wanted to argue, but closed his mouth after a moment. Yung nodded his head at Appa, Otaku, Tyyo and Lefty to come along as well, and they gathered around Kai like a protective shield.

"You can't," Rohan whined, looking close to tears. "Mom, Dad, you can't let them―" Neither parent could find it in them to quiet their youngest child.

Kai swallowed hard, glancing at Jinora miserably as the officers seized his arms to lead him away.

"LingShi?" Jinora stepped forward, a fierce look on her face. He had never been prouder of her. "One day you are going to burn. In life and in hell, mark my words."

LingShi leered at her, and gestured at the Officers. They unclipped their pistols and pressed the cold tip into Kai's back as they forced him forward, and the crew let out noises of protest, but could do nothing to stop them. "That may be, but your beloved pirate will be dead long before then."

And with that, they took him away.


	20. Damage Control

Chapter 20: Damage Control

* * *

"That _bastard_ ―" Jinora seethed. "That rotten no good son of a b―"

"Not in front of Rohan," Tenzin admonished. They had all gathered in her parents kitchen, Pabu having surprisingly stepped up along with Ryu and Appa to bring order, since their usual backup leaders of Yung or Lefty or Otaku had all left to try and reduce damage. Daw had pulled out beer, tea and leftover cookies from dessert, but no one was eating much of anything. Pema was trying to coax Rohan to go to bed.

Jinora just about tore his head off. "I'll use whatever language I want to, my husband just got _arrested_!"

Part of her wanted to cry; the other part of her wanted to scream. Just when she thought that LingShi Chow could never hurt her again, just when she was starting to actually believe it, he had waltzed in and ruined her life, for the second time, only this time was even worse. This time she had been actually, completely, _happy,_ and he had ripped it away from her, leaving her life in shambles.

"Jinora," said Daw gently. "Focus." He pushed a cup of tea into her hands. "Otaku knows the law fairly well, I'm sure there's a loophole for this."

"If not," said Skoochy darkly, "we're breaking him out, no questions asked, and I'll kill that son of a bitch who landed him in there with my bare hands."

Pabu facepalmed. "Skoochy, we're trying to think rationally and come up with a plan―"

"That is a plan―"

"No, that's a last resort."

"Well, how come? We're criminals, aren't we? We're pirates; breaking the law is what we do."

"Kai wouldn't want us to take any unnecessary risks," Ryu reminded him. Skoochy opened his mouth to protest and Ryu shoved a cigarette into it. "Let's wait until the others get back and learn what they know, and then we can start making a plan."

"If I know my husband," said Jinora quietly, "then he's hardly thinking of himself right now. I bet he's worried about how this'll affect the rest of us." She glanced at her father, Tenzin's face grave as he stroked his beard. "Including my family. Father...Dad―" She felt tears prick at her eyes. "Thank you, for what you said."

"I meant it." Tenzin placed a hand over Pema's, who had rejoined the table after sending a reluctant Rohan to bed. "I cannot condone sending an... alright, he's not perfectly innocent, but what LingShi is doing is unethical at best, and even if Kai has done some bad things... He does not deserve to die."

Now part of Jinora wanted to cry out of happiness, but now she thought maybe she was all cried out. Pema looked very misty-eyed as she gazed at her husband tenderly, and leaned over to press a kiss to both his and her daughter's cheek. "I'm going to go put on more tea. Daw, would you like to help me?"

The cook stood up. "Very much, ma'am."

They went to the kitchen together. Jinora took a sip of her own tea, which was already going cold. "We'll figure this out," she said miserably, trying to believe it. The taunts of the APA officers rang in her ears. _Don't you know the sentence for piracy is death?_ She ran a hand through her hair. "We have to."

* * *

Growing up on the streets, some part of Kai had always thought he would end up in jail. One day, he'd get caught stealing from a fruit vendor, or some snob's wallet, or maybe the Triple Threat Triads would have thrown him under the bus if they hadn't decided to kill him. Either way, his future had seemed inevitable, and surely not bright.

Then Yung had come along.

And right now, Yung was arguing fiercely on his behalf as he was shoved into a tiny holding cell of an APA station. "Where's your proof?" his first mate demanded. "Documents, testimonies, eye witness accounts?"

"Legally, you can't put a man on trial without substantial evidence," said Otaku. "There are plenty of pirates who bear resemblance to the Captain, and before the Waterbender was under his command it was a slave ship, and then stolen by another Captain, and then stolen by _another_ Captain, and then Zaheer―"

"Do you ever shut up?" LingShi snapped, looking annoyed despite still having a trace of a smile on his sneering face.

Kai glared at him. "Leave them alone."

"You're not in any position to give orders, _Captain_ ," said LingShi, smirking. "Officers, it's not possible we can gag him, is it?"

One of the officers shifted uncomfortably. "Uh, just handcuffs, Mr. Chow sir."

"Pity." LingShi smoothed back his hair, turning his back on Kai. "Now, when can we book the soonest appointment with a noose?"

"Not anytime soon," said Lefty gruffly. "You heard the Governor, you're giving 'im a trial. We got two weeks to prepare, and then you gotta wait for a judge's sentencing."

LingShi's lip curled back. "Yes, I _gotta._ " He rolled his eyes. "Fat old lump," he muttered under his breath. "Officers, I want you to dig into the captain's life. Find every dirty piece of information you can, anything he can be held accountable for. I want the charges stacked against him to be up to his neck."

"Good luck with that," said Yung, crossing his arms over his chest. "Our captain may have a big rep but he's hardly the worst pirate out there."

"You underestimate the strength and number of my resources," LingShi leered. "You're his first mate, correct?"

"Yes."

"Interesting. I think it'd be wise for you to stay while the rest of your crew returns to your...lovely ship, wouldn't you?"

Yung stared at him. "Guess so, since I sure as hell don't trust you." The pirate looked like he wanted to gut the man right then and there―and Kai wouldn't have put it past him, if Yung wasn't a far more levelheaded thinker. (Most of the time, anyway). "Otaku, Lefty, you're in charge. All of you, get back to the others. We'll be okay."

Lefty seemed reluctant, but he herded the others out of the APA station. At the door, he turned around and gave the finger to the officers before finally leaving. Kai tried not to laugh.

LingShi stuck up his nose. "Disgusting."

"Funny, I would have said the same thing about you, only it would have been accurate," the captain retorted. He knew the guards would have hit him if he hadn't already been, ironically enough, safely locked away in their temporary prison hold.

LingShi glowered at him. "Laugh while you still can, Captain. It'll take more than a foolhardy crew and delusional Governor to save you."

And Kai, although he stayed silent, and hated to admit it, knew it was true.

* * *

Jinora couldn't sleep. She hadn't had the heart to go back to the ship and sleep alone in what had always been her and Kai's room―and wouldn't have gone to bed at all if Longshot hadn't insisted, "for the good of the baby"―as the majority of the crew was still in her parents dining room, talking and planning, so she had taken up residence in her old bedroom. Otaku had sent a letter off to his girlfriend, Jaya, a talented lawyer, but it would be a day at best before they would hear back. He and Lefty had already started looking for any loopholes.

Half past midnight, there was a knock at her door. For a second, she hoped it was Yung, but quickly dismissed the notion. He wouldn't be leaving Kai's side until the storm had passed (or at least until he knew his boy was somewhat safe).

"Come in," she called.

It was Rohan, in a white sleep shirt that swallowed up his frame. Jinora figured Kai must have looked something like that, at his age. She opened up an arm and Rohan rushed over to her, scrambling onto her bed and burying his face in her side. "Is he going to be okay?" he asked fearfully.

"Of course," she said, even if the words caught her throat. "Of course he will. Kai's a big tough pirate, he'll be...he'll be fine. You don't have to worry. Let's get you back to bed, hmm?"

She took him by the hand and led him back to his room, which had star charts pinned all over the walls. She felt her heart break when she saw next to a family photograph, Rohan had ripped out a Wanted poster of Kai from the _Republic City Gazette_ , conveniently leaving off the reward for his capture and list of crimes. The paper was even starting to turn yellow. How long had Rohan had this?

Her little brother climbed into his bed, clutching his stuffed rabaroo to his chest. "You know," he said, looking extremely thoughtful for a 10-year-old. "I'm really happy you're with Kai, because it makes both of you happy, and I know you'll have to stay away for a while once he's free again but... I really miss you sometimes, Jinora."

A lump burned in her throat. "I miss you too, Ro." She tucked his covers up to his chin, and planted a kiss on his forehead. "Once this is sorted out, we'll be around more, I promise." She held out her pinky. "You have to get to know your niece or nephew, after all."

Rohan looked both excited and frightened at the prospect of being an uncle, not that she could blame him. He hooked his tiny pinky around hers. "Okay. I love you."

"Love you. Goodnight, little brother."

She waited until she was sure he was asleep, before going back to her own room.

Her hands were shaking, and not from the cold, so she clasped them together at the bottom of her swollen belly, and felt a strong pressure. The baby was kicking, for the first time. A strange ache of joy and sadness welled up inside her. Kai should have been there to share in this moment with her. On an ordinary night, she would've woken Kai up (if nightmares hadn't come to haunt him) and he would've placed his hand over her stomach, nervous but mostly excited as they shared in this new milestone of their unborn child. She could picture the crooked grin splitting over his face, causing a steadfast warmth to spread through her chest.

Now she was just cold, and alone.

The tears started falling before she could stop them. She could remember the last time she had cried herself to sleep in this room―just shy of her 20th birthday, and one of the first times LingShi had ever struck her. The first time it had been somewhere she had needed to hide with makeup, and she had done so, all too willingly. Now he was back to haunt her again, and she wondered if he would be like Kai's nightmares, always at the back of her head, reminding her of how hard it was to be happy, of how little she deserved to be, in his mind anyway.

There was another knock at her door, and she wondered if for some reason Rohan had come back. She wiped at her face with her pillowcase, cradling her swollen stomach with one arm as she opened the door. "Oh."

It was her parents, looking grave and tired and dressed in their night clothes. "I see you haven't taken Longshot's advice," her mother said, with a rather understanding smile.

"The―the baby's kicking," Jinora croaked, tears pricking at her eyes again.

Pema pulled her daughter into a hug. "Oh sweetheart, it's alright―"

That was all it took for the dam inside her chest to break. She couldn't hold back the sobs as they tore her throat apart, ugly and raw, her body trembling with the weight of them. Pema smoothed down her hair. "Shh, sweetie, it'll all be alright. Kai will be okay―" She tightened her grip around her daughter.

"He deserves to meet our child," Jinora sobbed. "He deserves to _live_ ―it's not fair! It's not fair, we were―we were finally _happy_ and things were going to be _okay_ and now―" Her buried her face in her mother's shoulder. "I can't lose him―I can't!"

Tenzin wrapped his arms around his wife and daughter, pressing a kiss to the top of Jinora's head. "Jinora," he said, his voice thick with regret. "I―we are so, so sorry for bringing LingShi into your life. If we had known..."

Jinora managed to collect herself. As easy as it would have been to blame her parents, especially her father, she also knew it wasn't fair. She couldn't blame them for not knowing what she had never bothered to tell them. "No, it's not your fault. It―it's not mine, either..."

 _It is never your fault, when a man like that is concerned, do you understand me?_

Kai had said it the first time they had run into LingShi, months ago, but it was still true now.

Her voice hardened. "It's LingShi's. And one day, he'll get what he deserves, and if Kai decides to kill him, I won't stop it this time."

Pema paled. "Kai almost―?"

Tenzin was stony-faced. "Judging from what the captain told me, he would have deserved it," he said darkly, and then cleared his throat. "Letting go of our family's stance on pacifism, of course." He brushed Jinora's hair away from her tear-streaked face. "I am sorry I couldn't understand you better."

"It was a pretty confusing time for me too," she admitted, smiling slightly. She wiped at her eyes. "And...you did play a part, you and mom, but everything else did too. It wasn't just you."

Tenzin's eyes grew sad. "It shouldn't have been us at all. We're your parents."

"Maybe it's because I'm about to be a mom myself, but...We only really grow up when we learn to forgive our parents for not being perfect." Jinora pressed a kiss to his bony cheek. "You always loved me, and you love me now. You try to understand me. That's all I can ask for. I can't say I understand you any better than you, me, so... Thank you, father."

Tenzin managed a tiny smile, his beard twitching. "Thank you, my dear. You know we'll stand by you, and by Kai, whatever comes."

"I know," she said, and it was the truth. She grunted softly as she self the baby kick again, and laughed tearfully. "Would―would you like to feel the baby kick?"

Her parents' faces lit up. "Of course," said Pema softly.

Jinora beamed at them as she took one of their hands and guided it to her tummy. She felt another kick and grinned despite the slight discomfort―her baby had her, and Kai's, strength. Pema immediately teared up.

"I can still remember the first time you kicked," said Tenzin, looking rather misty-eyed himself.

"Dad..." Jinora said softly. It was the first time she had called him that in years. Tenzin reached up to brush away a tear sliding down her cheek. "Thank you."

"I can't wait to meet my grandchild," he said simply, and it only made her want to cry harder―even if this time it was from happiness.

It had been years since Jinora had fallen asleep nestled in between her parents, scared of the monsters under her bed or the thunderstorms raging outside, a young toddler before Ikki had been born, but tonight was the exception. She needed her parents―and for once, she was willing to admit it.

The morning was far less pleasant. She woke up at a quarter to six to find the bed empty and her feet cold. She pulled on her socks as best she could, with a very large belly (how had her mother done this four times?) and padded out into the hallway. She found her crew in the foyer, talking in hushed tones, her parents among them. The door was open, letting the cold air in, as Skoochy smoked a cigarette.

"What's going on?" she asked, and the conversation halted. Had they been talking about her? An uncomfortable feeling crawled up her neck.

"They're not letting us visit him," said Skoochy darkly, throwing his cigar on the ground and stamping it out. "According to the head APA officer there, Brohu or something, our involvement is too 'questionable'."

"He may have a point," said Otaku. "Given the law―" He withered under Skoochy's fierce glare. "Anyway, we need an APA officer of a higher rank to appeal the decision. Then we can start planning with Captain on how to get him out of there. Yung's with him now."

"Jinora―!"

They all looked up at the call of her name, and saw Lee Sono, looking exhausted and disheveled as he climbed up the steps to her house. Skoochy's eyes hardened. "What is he doing here?" Anyone involved to the APA was good as dirt to him now.

Lee smoothed down his dark hair and straightened up, his face flushed. His captain's badge gleamed in the faint sunlight on his green Officer's uniform. "I've only just heard―how did it even happen? Didn't you get my letter?"

That took her by surprise. "Letter?" she repeated uncertainly.

"I sent you a letter, probably round a week ago, warning you about LingShi. Didn't you get it?" He gasped, still trying to catch his breath.

"I got it," she said faintly, cringing. "Just...never got the chance to open it and―oh God―" She felt a sob build in her chest. This all could've been avoided if she had just opened the damn letter, if she just hadn't been so distracted and disregarded it. She had just been too happy, receiving it the day after her wedding. If only―

"Whatever," said Lee shortly. "We can't dwell on it. Here's what you need to know if we're going to get him out alive." He still didn't like Kai, hell, he didn't like at him at all, but he wasn't about to let Kai die when it would break Jinora's heart. (A heart that no longer belonged to him, and yet...) Then he took in her appearance, as the crew became attentive. "Wait, are you _pregnant_?"

"Lee, focus!"

He swallowed down all his questions (mostly, _How could you let this happen_? and _What were you thinking?_ and _So, we're really over aren't we?_ because a baby was so _permanent_ and―) and cleared his throat.

"There is no standard protocol for a pirate being given a trial, simply because it's never happened before, so I'm assuming they'll use the standard protocol for a theft or murder trial―at least how one would go for anyone who isn't upper class. There will be two weeks, maybe 15 days, until the trial which will be used to gather evidence for both sides. In the meantime, they'll keep the Captain in a station's prisoner holding cell for perhaps a day or two. Then they'll send him to Republic City Jail, different than Republic City Prison, until the trial. It's used to hold lesser criminals, ones who will―" Lee winced slightly "―usually be executed quickly, that's why they can have it be so crowded and it doesn't really matter. Assuming we get him off death row at the trial, he'll probably be sent to the South Stairs prison near the edge of the city."

"That won't do him any good," said Ryu, sounding slightly less bored than usual. "That's Quil's territory. He'll be dead within a day."

"I'm getting to that," said Lee. "They'll have to transport him over. That's when you can strike, if need be. But hopefully it won't come to that. The best we can hope for is something called the Raava Principle."

"Raava?" Tenzin repeated, stroking his beard. Lee was all too aware that everyone's eyes were on him; he had never been so outnumbered by pirates before. "It sounds familiar."

"It was created by Aang Gyatso, in order to pardon Fire Lord Zuko of his crimes, but it applies to everyone, regardless of ethnicity or class. If a person can prove that their good deeds outweigh the bad ones, the court and judge must pardon them of all charges. That's our best bet."

"And we have two weeks?" Otaku checked.

Lee's eyes were grim. "Two weeks."

There was a long, almost unbearable silence, before Jinora managed to break it. "Lee, as Captain of the Republic City division, or some of it, anyway, would you be able to appeal a lower ranking Officer's decision?"

"Of course," he answered. "I have no power over a judge, but I do over a subordinate. Why?"

* * *

When Jinora saw Kai again she felt a rush of three emotions: relief, joy, and rage. Relief, at seeing he was unharmed, joy, as the cell was unlocked by officers and being able to talk and touch him, and rage at seeing the handcuffs binding his wrists. Lee had managed to grant her clearance to visit him (he would need to fill out more paperwork for the rest of the crew that afternoon), so long as her father and the APA captain himself were there for "supervision and her protection". Yung, of course, hadn't left Kai's side, taking up residence outside of the tiny barred cell.

Jinora threw herself at her husband as soon as he had stepped outside of the holding cell. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, practically slamming into him "Thank God you're alright," she gasped, slipping in the hole between his arms; he had spread them as wide as he could, given the handcuffs restraining his movements. His arms were warm and solid around her. "I was so worried."

"I could say the same about you," he said, his eyes soft. He lifted his arms so she move out of his arms, as it was a tight fit, but even once she did she kept her hands on his shoulders. And then she shoved him, hard. He didn't even budge.

"What were you thinking?" she hissed. "Surrendering just like that?"

Kai recognized the flash of anger in her eyes. "What else was I supposed to do?" he said tartly.

"The one time it actually would have been a good idea to pick a fight, and you don't! You could've taken the officers and we would've gotten out of there!" She glowered up at him.

"And then what?" He demanded. "They would've gone after your family, assuming none of us got captured in the first place―"

"My family can take it, you can't!" She jabbed her finger into his chest. "You are the most impulsive, idiotic son of a bitch―"

Tenzin gasped sharply, his eyes wide, not that either of them noticed, too wrapped up in each other and their argument. Lee looked similarly shocked.

"Should..." Tenzin seemed deeply troubled, whispering out of the corner of his mouth to the first mate, who was perfectly relaxed, and maybe even bored. "Should we intervene?"

"Nah," Yung said. "Just let them get it out of their system, they'll be done in five minutes tops."

"This happens often?" said Lee slowly, his brows furrowed.

"Far more in the beginning. It usually isn't this bad, but honestly, I think they kind of enjoy it, strangely enough. Bickering's usually all it leads to, and even that's in good humour."

"I am not going to ruin your family more than I already have, Gyatso," Kai said fiercely. "I'm not going to ruin your life, it'll already be bad enough once the papers get wind of this; the father of your unborn child, conceived out of wedlock is a pirate in prison!"

"I don't care!" Jinora said indignantly. "You know me better than that, Captain, you know I don't give a damn what the public has to say about me, they can all go to hell for all I care!"

"I care!" said Kai. " _I care_! Not about what they say, but what they'll do! You know how people treat pirates, I don't want my child having anymore of a difficult life than it already will because of me!"

"Fine!" Jinora grabbed the collar of his shirt and yanked him down to her eye level, her voice becoming quiet. "Then you're going to listen to me right now. You want your child, _our_ child's, life to be easier? You're going to be in it. You're going to get out of here and be a free man and you're going to believe that you will, because you deserve to meet our child, and you deserve to be a father, so goddammit, you are going to be one for a very long time if I have anything to say about it. You don't want to ruin my life? Then you are going to stay in it, d'you understand me? You are going to stay in it."

Kai's expression softened, all the anger melting away. "Jinora..."

"You refused to leave me once," she said, her throat burning, just like Koh's ship had all those months ago, and the whole world had been nothing but smoke and fire and _him_. "Don't leave me now."

He brought a hand up to her cheek, his fingers soft against her skin. "Of course not, Jin," he whispered, and it was like their argument had never happened. He wanted to kiss her so badly, but it would have felt weird doing so in front of her father and ex-boyfriend, and unfortunately, they had more important things to do. "So," he tried to sound confident, "what's the plan for getting me out of here?"


	21. 14 Days Part I

Chapter 21: 14 Days Part I

* * *

Mr. Meho Yisoroh had dealt with a lot of strange things over his years as the lawyer for the Governors of Republic City, but he had never heard something as ridiculous as having a trial for a _pirate_. He stared at the Governor, raising his bushy eyebrows. "Tenzin, you cannot be serious."

"I am completely serious, Mr. Yisoroh," said Tenzin gravely.

"A pirate has never gotten a trial, much less one already on death row," said Yisoroh, worriedly stroking his thick mustache. "Don't you realize what such a thing will do to your career? Your family's reputation? It was bad enough when your daughter was kidnapped and there were rumours they were sleeping together―to stand by her and the bastard child now―"

"My unborn grandchild is not a bastard," said Tenzin sharply. "It is a Gyatso, regardless of who the father is. And you will defend the Captain of the _Waterbender_ in court if you want to keep your job, and you will treat his crew with respect."

Yisoroh gaped. "B-but Governor, see reason now―"

"Have I made myself clear?"

Yisoroh sighed, raking a hand over his bald head. His glasses were askew over his flat nose. "Yes, sir."

He and Tenzin sat in the back of a carriage as they rode to the Republic City Jail, a squat, long building made of brick, housing petty criminals and others awaiting trial. Yisoroh nervously shuffled his papers as the horses gently trotted to a halt, and the driver helped them out.

An Officer with a name tag reading BROHU on the breast pocket of his green and gold uniform led them from the front desk and into the prison. Most of the criminals stayed curled up in the corners of their cells, others leered and grinned as the politician, officer, and lawyer passed, cackling when Yisoroh yelped in fear when one lunged.

The pirate's cell was at the end of the hall―a place for high-security prisoners, Brohu said. "He can kill a man in three moves," the officer said, as they approached the cell.

"Actually, it's two," the pirate corrected him. He looked tired, but unharmed, surprisingly young. Another pirate, shorter and pudgy, was already there, looking distraught. "Hypothetically, of course."

"Kai, this is my lawyer Meho Yisoroh," Tenzin introduced. "Mr. Yisoroh, this is the Captain of the _Waterbender_ , and his first mate, Yung."

The pirate's green eyes flickered up to his face. "Nice to meet you, sir."

Yisoroh couldn't tell if he was being genuine or not. "Likewise, I'm sure. Now, let's get down to business. A charge of piracy is compromised of multiple crimes, such as breaking and entering, theft, murder, participation in the slave trade, rape―so acting under the assumption those claims are accurate―"

"I don't participate in the slave trade," the pirate said sharply. "Nor would I ever― _ever_ ―submit _anyone_ to something as terrible as rape."

Yisoroh raised his brows. "Theft and murder, then. How long have you been a pirate?"

"Nearly 15 years." The pirate glanced at his first mate, and they shared a single look, but it felt like an entire conversation had passed silently between them. "I've been Captain for almost 6."

"And you're―?"

"I'm 23."

Yisoroh pulled out the file Tenzin had given him. Exceptionally young, then. "As I'm sure Captain Sono and Miss Gyatso have already told you, your best bet is the Raava Principle. Collecting enough evidence, especially since the Chows will likely have an easier time finding evidence of your crimes, to win over the verdict, will definitely be a challenge. If you were willing to incriminate your crew, or a few members, you could easily be removed from death row―"

"Not happening," said the pirate firmly.

"Mr― _Captain_ , sometimes sacrifices must be made in court, in order for the trial to continue down the desired path, this is one such sacrifice and―"

"I am _not_ throwing my crew overboard because of my mess," he hissed.

The first mate placed a hand on his shoulder. "Kai―"

"Drop it, Yung." The young man's green eyes softened. "Please."

Yung squeezed his shoulder and let go. "Alright kiddo. So," he turned to Yisoroh, "the Raava Principle. What exactly do we need to do? Sono and Jinora did a decent explanation, but how would we actually go about collecting the evidence?"

"Your...navigator, Otaku Akun, is digging up resources as we speak. Contacting old friends, such as the Captain of the Avatar―although how much another pirate's opinion will actually help," said Yisoroh airily, waving his hand. The pirate frowned. "They're also trying to find a man named Charo Zhang, although Otaku wouldn't tell me the importance of it. Why would you have a connection with the son of a nobleman?"

Kai turned to Yung. "You told him?" he demanded. He hadn't wanted anyone who didn't already know about his sacrifice at the orphanage, giving up his place for another boy. No one else needed to know, and that included Otaku. Or at least, it should have.

"Only Otaku," his first mate replied. "And it was necessary, Kai. It's one of the best things we have on our side."

"If he remembers," Kai grumbled, "and is willing to step forward despite my reputation."

Yung tsked at him, and was ignored.

Yisoroh adjusted his glasses. "In the meantime, Captain, you need to draw sympathy from the public. If they're on your side, they might be able to sway the jury, and even the judge. The judge will not sentence a man to death if he thinks it will make him unpopular, especially with those who make generous donations to the legal system."

Kai didn't bother pointing out that if it was money they were after to win this game, LingShi Chow outnumbered him a hundred to one, _easy_.

"People know of your professional reputation," Yisoroh continued, "which is quite frankly―" he eyed the pirate in disdain, "―terrifying. So, for starters, let's delve into your childhood. Did your parents―"

"My parents have been dead since I was a toddler," said Kai sharply. "I don't see how this is relevant."

"We can't focus on your career as a pirate, we have to go before that, so people can see you as something more than a criminal." Yisoroh looked like he doubted it himself, but didn't dare say anything with Yung and Tenzin (especially the latter) right there. "Now, then, after your parents died?"

"I was in an orphanage that made the streets of the slums of Geishou look like paradise. I ran off, got involved with the Triple Threat Triads. I was nine and they wanted to kill me, when I ran...when I ran into Yung." Kai's eyes softened. "He saved me. The crew showed me what it was like to have a home. A family. Yung did his best to protect me...the Captain, Zaheer, was determined to make sure I earned my keep and I started learning swordfighting when I was ten. Once he thought I was skilled enough he―he taught me himself, but then things...changed and―I never wanted to kill him."

Kai's throat tightened, and Yung laid a hand on his shoulder; he barely felt the light pressure. "I'm sure you can find whatever else you need in the papers," he said shortly. "I'm done."

Yisoroh pursed his lips. "Let's go back to your family for a minute; were you dropped off at the orphanage because your surviving family didn't want you?" He flicked through his notes, as Kai stiffened. "And everyone knows about the Quil Massacre, after Mr. Chow has publicized it―"

The papers had come out that day, revealing official information from APA files. Now the public thought he was a monster, of some sort, a man of uncontrollable rage. Even if they didn't like Quil, Kai knew some of their distaste was coming from the different class's own hands in the slave trade: for the rich, it was a service provided, and for the most desperately poor, a source of income.

"What was it that made you snap?" Yisoroh pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Eager bloodlust? Mental instability?"

Those had been two of the most popular theories, and Kai scowled. "Mr. Yisoroh," he said, struggling to keep his temper; like the papers had any idea of the real reason why. Like any of them even _deserved_ to know the reason why. "I said I'm done―"

"And with such violent tendencies, one has to wonder if during Miss Gyatso's stay, were you ever violent towards her, during or after her time of a hostage―"

Kai leapt to his feet, slamming his hands down on the bars so hard they rattled. " _That's enough!"_ He gripped the bars so tightly his knuckles turned white, pale against the gold of his wedding band, as he tried to regain control of his breathing, of his temper. "I have never―and I will never, _ever_ raise a hand to her," he seethed. "I would never hit my wife."

Yisoroh blinked. "Well, technically, she's not your wife, according to law―" Kai threw him such a fierce glare the words died in his throat.

If the Captain could have pointed, he would have, his handcuffs prohibiting it. Still, he gave Yisoroh the finger as he snarled, _"Get. Out."_

Yisoroh wasn't stupid enough to argue, nor to look back, not even when Tenzin called after him. The Governor whirled around to face Kai, fuming.

"Do you know how many lawyers will defend a pirate on trial!" He started turning red in the face, a vein bulging in his forehead. "None, that's who! I am trying to _help_ you, and Mr. Yisoroh may have his flaws, or overstepped a line, but he was simply asking questions the judge and jury and press will want the answers to!"

"I want to trust whoever's trying to save my life," Kai snapped. "And I've had enough disrespect for a lifetime! I have two weeks left to live, two! I'm not going to spend them getting spat on by people who can't get their heads out of their asses―do you think I want to die?!" His voice broke on the last word, and his shoulders slumped forwards; all the fight had left him. "But this way," he managed, "this way no one else has to. That's enough for me." He swallowed hard. "You can hear about this sort of life all you want Governor, but you'll never understand it."

Tenzin's expression slowly softened. "Jaya Jun is arriving here this afternoon. She and Otaku will come by as soon as they are able, to discuss our next move."

Kai inclined his head. "Thank you, Governor."

Tenzin stared at him for a moment longer, and then nearly smiled. "I..." he hesitated. "I may have been wrong about you, Kai."

Kai shook his head and smiled faintly. "Most people usually are, sir."

Tenzin's brow furrowed, and he left without another word, off to fire Yisoroh as their family's lawyer, and to update everyone else on the situation. (A particular bad bout of motion sickness had kept Jinora at home this morning, between the Waterbender and the mansion).

* * *

Jaya Jun pulled up in a carriage outside the Republic City Holding Prison, flipping her long braid of dark hair off her shoulder. She was a tad shorter than Otaku, but had the same sparkling intelligence in her bright blue eyes, her skin the colour of the Water Tribes. Having attended university in Ba Sing Se, and lived in the Earth Kingdom her whole life to a Southern Water Tribe mother and an Earth Kingdom school teacher she didn't have much ties to either culture. The law didn't allow for bias―even if as a female lawyer she knew all too well the bias that could be held against her.

She squinted at the shoddy prison in desperate need of a paint job. "Huh. Well, this will be interesting." She grasped the handle of her suitcase tightly and scanned the crowd for Otaku; reporters and flashing cameras were gathered outside the prison. Never before had a pirate gone to have a real trial, nor one so high profile or caught up in scandals.

Jaya had met Kai a few times. She had always liked him, even if she hadn't gotten to know him very well, but he was friendly and charming and Otaku talked about him with such admiration, she couldn't help but like him.

"Jaya!"

Otaku swept her up in a hug, his glasses nearly knocked off his nose as he spun her around. She laughed despite herself, beaming at him and kissing him briefly. His love letters, always long in length, were things she'd always treasure―but nothing compared to seeing him in person.

"I missed you," she said happily, resting her chin on his shoulder. His hands rested on the small of her back, pulling her close to him.

"I missed you too. It's so good to see you," he said brightly, pulling away with a smile that quickly faltered. "I just wish it was under better circumstances, however."

She started rummaging in her suitcase, undoing the zipper and searching for a book. She had taken one out from her personal library before leaving, entitled _The Ravva Principle_ and all about said subject. "Let's get to work then."

By the time she and Otaku arrived at the visitor's room, it was occupied, a guard standing at attention in the corner, and Jinora wrapped up in Kai's arms, his wrists unbound for the first time since being brought to the prison. Their foreheads were touching, a lovers' embrace, one of his hands resting on the growing swell of her stomach. Feeling the baby kick, maybe?

Jaya had never met Jinora before, but had seen the papers, and Otaku spoke fondly of her, especially of her intelligence and their common interests, so she already liked the girl. She couldn't imagine what she was going through. A baby on the way, its father in prison on trial for his life. It seemed to interrupt this tender stolen moment―but they didn't have any time to waste.

Jaya cleared her throat quietly, and the pair broke apart. "Hello, Kai, Jinora, it's good to meet you." She stuck out one hand, the other still holding her suitcase.

Jinora shook her hand with a surprisingly firm grip. "It's nice to meet you as well, Jaya. Thank you for coming all this way, and for your help. I know we haven't agreed on a price..."

"Don't be silly," said Jaya brightly. "I don't need any payment."

Jinora grinned at her, but Kai frowned worriedly. "But―" he started.

"You saved Otaku's life. We won't forget that," said Jaya firmly, and he shut his mouth. She gestured for them all to take a seat in the spindly wooden chairs set up along a white table made of cheap wood. "Now, to get started. We're working on the basis of the Raava Principle, but first things first, we need at least two pieces of solid evidence before the judge will even take the trial seriously. I trust that can be provided by your crew, Otaku among them."

Jaya cracked her suitcase open, pulling out some files and looking at the notes she had made on the ride over. "Once that is properly settled, working on your public image is important. Some people, of course, will never change their minds, most likely along the richer crowds. However, we may luck out with the jury pool, and some will be more like Jinora." The two woman shared a brief smile. "The poor and middle classes will be far easier to convince. You're an underdog. People like that. The baby can also be used to paint both of you, and your relationship, as a soon-to-be-tragic love affair. More people than you think will root for you, even if LingShi tries to throw his weight around. His uncle, running for Governor, will have the best lawyer possible. I like to think I'm an even match," she said with a hint of pride.

"As for LingShi," Jaya continued, "he have cash, but you have charisma. If we can expose and exploit his ugly side, not only can we prove the case is built on nothing more than the petty jealousy of a sore loser, we can ruin his career, period."

Kai smiled. "I do like the sound of that."

"The more evidence we collect, the better. Any loopholes in the legal system are already being looked at. That, and Lefty found a newspaper run by an old friend of his, Mr. Ranshaw, who's willing to print your side of things, if the larger papers are too biased to do so. If you're willing, an interview may even be helpful."

"How personal would it need to get?" he asked nervously. Jinora took his hand and gave it a squeeze.

"A little bit about your childhood, but mostly, humanize your current lifestyle, your crew. Make them realize that a pirate is a person, and vice versa. That you're―" she looked to Otaku. "Dear, what's that phrase Yung always says?"

"Pirates with morales," Otaku said with a slight smile.

"Yes, that," Jaya said distractedly, rummaging through her files. She took out an important looking document with a few blank spaces. "And this is just a legal form to ensure that whatever is said, whether of legal business or not during the trial, cannot incriminate any of your crew members, Jinora, or the Gyatso family." Jaya tapped two blank lines. "Signature here, and there, and Jinora you better sign too, in regards to the baby, since Kai is the father. We want to keep this as clean as possible."

Kai wrote his name as carefully as possible, and Jinora signed hers with a neat flourish. They passed the paper back to Jaya, who tucked it back in the top of her file.

"I'll send this to the judge, Your Honour Carro, I believe. I've never dealt with a case with him before, but I've heard of him. He's one of the better judges." Jaya hesitated. "It should be a somewhat fair trial."

Jinora frowned. "Somewhat?"

"You know what pirates are thought of as," said Jaya quietly. "It may take some work to convince him, but I'll do everything in my power to get him on our side. The one good thing is, he won't take a bribe from LingShi. That's not to say none of the jury will, but the judge does hold the final decision." She shut her file and stowed it away in her suitcase. "I'll come back tomorrow morning with something more substantial, I'm sorry I can't do more today."

"You've done more than enough already," said Jinora gratefully. She hadn't let go of her husband's hand.

Jaya nodded and rose from the table, grasping Otaku's hand. "Jinora, should I walk you home?" the navigator asked. In light of everything, it wasn't smart for Jinora to go anywhere alone (especially in a shadier part of town) if they could help it.

She shook her head. "No, I'll stay until the visiting hours are over."

Kai kissed her cheek. "Give Miss Jun and I a moment?" he requested. "I want to ask her something."

Jinora's brow furrowed. "You can't ask her with me here?" She caught the look in his eyes, and knew she wouldn't like it. "Captain," she said warningly.

Kai sighed, and laced their fingers together, raising his eyes to Jaya's. "How would I go about making a will?"

Jinora tugged sharply on his hand. "Kai―"

"I'm sorry, love. But we have to be prepared." He brushed her hair from her eyes, and she softened. "Please try to understand. Miss Jun?"

"I'm afraid, as a pirate, an actually valid legal will is impossible." Jaya frowned sadly. "However, if you were to write something down, and divide your belongings between your men and family according to your wishes, I'm sure they would follow it. And please, call me Jaya."

Kai nodded; it had been the answer he'd been expecting. "Thank you, Jaya. I'll see you tomorrow."

She and Otaku took it as their leave to go.

Jinora pulled him into another hug. "Don't think like that," she said softly. "You're going to make it. You have to." He buried his face in her neck, holding her close. "I can't lose you. Not again."

"I don't want to lose you either," he mumbled. Her body was warm and soft against his. He remembered all the nights and mornings they had spent wrapped up in each other, her face the first and last thing he saw when he fell asleep and woke up. He wanted it to be that way for years and years, not months. "But we don't always get what we want, do we? I never should have wanted you."

Jinora took his face in her hands and kissed him. "Thank God that you did," she murmured against his mouth. She pulled away slightly, when she felt the baby kick. Kai knew the look on her face by now, and placed a hand on her stomach as the baby kicked again.

"Don't name it after me," he said quietly. "If it's a boy."

Tears welled in her eyes. "Love―"

"Please, Jinora. Promise you won't."

"Middle name, then. I'm as stubborn as you are," she reminded him, smiling tearfully. He kissed her chastely.

"I know," he said fondly. He tried to believe he'd get out of here, that one day he'd hold her again, and fall asleep side by side, one day to only be woken up far too early by their child's cries. "Thank you, for never giving up on me."

She stroked her fingers over his cheeks. "Well, you've never given up on us, remember?"

"And I don't plan to," he said, placing a hand over the one with her wedding ring. "For better or for worse. You're not getting rid of me that easy."

She laughed weakly. "Good."

* * *

"Can I ask you something?" said Kai flatly.

It was the following afternoon (day three of fourteen, Kai mentally kept track) and visiting hours were finished. Jaya was at the mansion collaborating with the crew, drawing up witness statements with his men, and Jinora was resting―the pregnancy had left her feeling far more tired as of late. Yung had brought a paper in the morning, bearing headlines _LINGSHI'S LUCK:_ _PIRATE'S PERIL?_ and had spent the rest of the morning ignoring the subject. Kai wished he was better at reading, even if he had been able to read most of it. Daw and Pema had sent homemade muffins, which were far better than the gray mush that was prison food, once it had gone through a security check.

And somehow all of it had led to Lee Sono being his babysitter for the rest of the day. Something about Sono not trusting Kai's guards to ward off bribes, or to keeping out bad visitors like LingShi, or anyone else who would want to provoke Kai. He suspected Jinora had asked him to, and while some part of Kai appreciated the sentiment, somehow, he also detested it. He didn't need to be looked after, let alone by an APA Officer; he was more than capable of taking care of himself.

Not to mention, spending hours in dead silence with something he just about detested wasn't fun either, although Kai wasn't sure what had made him break it.

Lee didn't look up from his paperwork, holding the papers in one hand. "I have a feeling you're going to no matter what I say."

Kai didn't smile, squinting as he studied the other man intently. Lee's hair was slightly unkempt, some wavy strands falling in front of his eyes; this case couldn't have been stressing him out that much...could it? "Why're you doing this?" Kai asked. "Why're you helping me? God knows you hate me―you hate all pirates on principle. Wouldn't it be just great for you with me out of the picture, and then you can start winning Gyatso back?"

Lee threw him an annoyed look. "Because I'm not an asshole," he said tartly. "And I don't want Jinora to get hurt more than she already has by you." Lee glanced down at his paperwork one last time, not seeing the way Kai flinched, his brow furrowing, and Lee snapped the file shut. "Why do you call her that anyway?" the Officer asked, finally raising his gaze.

Kai raised his eyebrows, smoothing over his features. "Gyatso?" Lee nodded. "Well, at first it was because she pissed me off," he shrugged. "She was a spoiled little brat, or at least I thought she was. And a pain in my ass―that much was true, and she'd say the same thing about me. At first." He rubbed his jaw. The stubble lining it was growing thicker, being unable to shave at all for even a few days. "And then later... It was a good reminder of all the reasons why she wouldn't want to be with someone like me. Why she shouldn't be. Not good enough, apparently."

Kai dropped his hands and sighed, staring at the chains that bound his wrists. "Sometimes I wish she had picked you," he said very quietly.

Lee stared at him. "What?"

"You're the better choice," he said, without missing a beat. "The safer choice. You would've treated her right, not like those other suitors. Not like LingShi. You would've provided for her in a way I never can...especially now, I guess." Kai's eyes hardened. "Be straight with me, Sono: what are the chances I'm getting off death row? That I'll actually got off scot free and won't get sent to the South Stairs and shanked by one of Quil's cronies?"

Lee winced slightly. "Captain―"

"Cut the bullshit, Sono. I get enough from Yung and Gyatso and my men already. I don't want reassurance. I want the truth."

"Three out of a hundred," Lee answered. "Or less. Most likely less."

Kai loosed a long breath and squared his shoulders, trying to resign himself to his fate. "Alright then, Sono, do me a favour?"

"Because I'm not already doing enough," Lee muttered under his breath, and Kai caught snippets of the words, _corrupt guards,_ and _clearances,_ and _paperwork_ , a few times.

Kai glared at him. "It's real simple, trust me."

"I don't trust you."

"I know, Sono, now don't waste my time," he said sharply, his patience running thin. "I don't have much of it left. Now," he raised his brow, "I can continue?" Reluctantly, Lee nodded. "Get a stack of paper, as much as you can find. And something to write with too." Kai cleared his throat. "And, uh... take care of her, alright?" He knew Yung would have enough on his plate, with his own grieving, without him asking for him to specifically look after Jinora and the baby too. Lee was the only one who didn't really have anything to lose if he died; Sono was only here for Jinora, after all, and her family that didn't include Kai.

Lee nodded slowly. "Alright." He turned to leave, to go get the parchment (whatever the hell the pirate wanted it for? Did they even write wills?) when he looked back at Kai. "You're not what I expected a pirate to be like," he admitted.

Kai half-smiled. "What, because I'm a person?"

Lee didn't know what to say to that―Kai watched the struggle pinch his face as he fought to find something to say―so he left.

As soon as Kai was alone, he wiped furiously at his eyes, green rimmed with red.


	22. LingShi's Deal

Chapter 22: LingShi's Deal

* * *

Jinora couldn't sleep.

It wasn't an unusual occurrence over the past week―in fact, she wondered if it was how Kai felt most nights―as she had trouble sleeping alone. Her bed always felt far too big, far too cold, and the baby's consistent kicking often acted up at night, jerking her awake just when she was starting to doze off. Although creating and carrying a life was a beautiful, wonderful thing, sometimes being pregnant really sucked.

Pfannee Wen, ShenShen Sesi and Miki Nanuq had practically taken up residence in the guest rooms of her family's mansion. Her parents had pulled Rohan temporarily out of school, as the teasing had reached an all time high with what was in the papers― _Governor Disgraces Family In Defense of Pirate, Captain of the Waterbender to be Hanged?, The First Pirate Trial,_ and _Governor Claims Child of Whore Daughter_ ―among the most tamest of them all.

Still, what the papers said was the least of her problems.

"Take this." A mug was set in front of her, and she raised her head, lowering her hands from her face. "It'll help."

Jinora found Daw smiling at her over the breakfast nook table. "Thank you. What's it for?"

"Warding off nausea, mostly." He tucked his tea tray under his hair. "Chin up. It'll work out, you'll see."

She managed the tiniest of smiles, wrapping her hands around the smooth ceramic. "I certainly hope so." She paused, looking into her cup. It was full of a creamy green liquid, lukewarm. She took a sip, and then another, the taste just as warm and creamy on her tongue, before setting the cup back down. "How's my mother?"

Daw had been spending more time with Pema as of late, working in the kitchens. They had really hit it off, and somehow it made everything a little easier, having one pirate and one noblewoman getting along so well. The same couldn't be said for anyone else; Pfannee and Miki were still wary of the crew, except perhaps for Otaku, or Yung (who barely left the prison) and ShenShen wouldn't even speak to them. Kai had been a special occasion because of Jinora.

"She seems..." Daw ran his fingers over his thin mustache. "Frustrated," he said finally. "She wishes she could do more."

Jinora's smile turned sad. "I think we all do." She took another sip of tea. "I hope my friends have at least been polite to you―?"

"They've been fine," Daw assured her. "Don't worry about it, Jinora, you have enough on your plate as is. Just focus on the baby."

Her hand dropped to the swell of her stomach. "It can be hard to think of anything else, honestly." Every step she took somehow reminded her that there was a life growing inside her, a child, hers and Kai's. At least... her eyes watered. At least if he didn't survive, she'd still have a piece of him.

She wiped at her eyes. "Thank you for the tea, Daw." She drained her mug and stood up. "But I'm feeling rather tired, I think I better go lie down."

Jinora wiped at her cheeks as she exited the breakfast nook, clearing her throat once she was in the hallway, and headed to the library instead of her old bedroom. She found Jaya and Otaku among the bookshelves, legal documents spread over a table with a thick volume opened on the corner, heads bent towards each other as they talked in rapid-fire.

"―the crew's finished their legal statements," Jaya was saying, "and then with Ranshaw's papers, we can start getting Kai's story out there―d'you think Jinora would be willing to do an interview as well―?"

"I'd be happy to," said Jinora quietly, and their heads snapped up.

Otaku smiled gently. "How are you feeling, Jinora?"

"I'm okay." Her eyes still burned. "Is there anything I can do to be helpful?"

"I'm going to see the Judge, Carro Cato, this afternoon," Jaya explained. "It will be pretty dull legal jargon, but you can come along if you'd like."

"Yes, yes I'd like to come."

"I'll let you know when I'm leaving, should be an hour past noon. We'll be meeting Yung there." Jaya collected up her papers. "As for the interview with Lefty's friend, don't worry about it yet. It would be best for you and Kai to do a joint interview, ideally."

Jinora twisted her wedding ring. "Is Yung already with him?"

Otaku nodded. "Left before the sun came up, actually. You know how he is."

It made it a little easier on her heart, to know that at least Kai wasn't alone, and as long Yung was there, he'd be on the safer side too. Granted, much of that was due to Lee, who had been steering away any guards prone to bribery or abuse, and keeping Kai in isolated holding, away from other prisoners who'd want to do him harm. She wondered how much extra work it was, as Lee would never say exactly how much time it was taking him to do such a thing, or the cost on his career...

"Is Lee coming by today?" she asked.

Otaku raised his brows. "Sono? I believe he'll be down in his office for most of the day, doing paperwork. Why?"

"I think it'd be best for me to confer with him," she said softly, letting go of her wedding ring. Her fingers found the chain of her anchor pendant instead. "After all...he's doing this for me."

Otaku didn't try to deny it, and she was grateful.

Jaya coughed quietly, drawing Jinora's attention back to her. "I'll come get you quarter to one."

* * *

The City Hall Building was grand and grey, with tall pillars and shiny windows. Judge Carro Cato was nearly as grey, with a short, choppy beard of dark hair with wisps of silver, a heavily lined face, and weary grey eyes. He raised his head, his blank stare almost reminding Jinora of Mouse the cat for a moment, before he waved an aged hand and silently ushered them into his office.

"I didn't expect to see you here, Miss Gyatso," he said, his voice raspy.

Jaya and Jinora both settled into chairs across from his desk, Jaya reaching for her briefcase while the latter let her hands fall to the swell of her stomach. "Of course I'm here," she said, trying not to sound hostile. "My husband is on trial."

"I meant no offence."

"I'm sure you did not."

Jaya cleared her throat. "Your Honour, as the Raava Principle isn't often used, I just wanted to clarify what evidence would be acceptable to present?"

"Anything with an eye witness account, or authentic documents. Have to prove they're not forged, mind you. Especially given... Mr. Gyatso's occupation."

 _Mr. Gyatso_? What did he―? Oh, Jinora realized. He meant Kai, who had no public last name to speak of. It was strange to think of him as a Gyatso, but he was a part of her family now, just like she was a part of his. Like how their child would be both. The baby would take her surname? She couldn't remember if it had ever come up in conversation, and now it might never get the chance to.

Her stinging eyes dropped to the desk.

Jaya nodded, jotting down notes and getting ink smeared along the curve of her index finger. "That's about what I expected. Anything else, Your Honour?"

"Mr. Chow will have to prove the same. His uncle is also leading the persecution. Lawyers never trust other lawyers, you know."

Jaya smiled thinly at him. "Exactly, Your Honour. We'll be more than ready for the trial in twelve days time."

A bit of legal jargon that Jinora could scarcely understand flew between the judge and lawyer, even with her excellent education. Within the hour, Jaya was shutting her brief case with her newly taken notes tucked carefully inside, gave the judge a polite if strained smile, and she and Jinora left the office behind.

They were coming down the building's steps and onto the street when she spotted Lee Sono, his brow furrowed in distress.

"Lee?" Jinora asked. "What are you doing here?"

He straightened up, even his dark eyes remained stormy. "I'm here to see Ms. Jun, actually. I just had a lovely meeting with LingShi Chow where he threatened to expose my role in this case and basically ruin my career. I was wondering if she had anything that could help with that."

Jinora's stomach lurched.

Jaya frowned. "Where is he threatening to publish the information?"

" _The Republic City Gazette_."

"How much time do we have?"

"Until tomorrow, I think."

"I'll see what I can do," Jaya promised. "I'm sure there's something about anonymity; if the story does get out, we can sue him at the very least for improper conduct of confidential information."

Lee nodded, his wavy hair, slightly disheveled, falling in front of his eyes. "Thank you Ms. Jun. I appreciate it." He looked over at Jinora. "Are you going to the prison now?"

"Yes. I have an appointment with one of Longshot's friends tomorrow, so I probably won't get to see him."

"I'll walk you over then, if you don't mind?" he offered.

Jinora blinked, and felt heat creep over her cheeks as she felt Jaya's eyes flit between her and Lee. "Sure. I actually wanted to speak with you, as a matter of fact. Jaya, are you―"

"I'm going to the messenger bird post to check for mail. Some of the slaves Kai freed have sent letters in that Otaku and I are collecting for evidence. I'll see you back at the manor?"

"Yes," said Jinora quickly. "Around dinnertime. Thank you, Jaya."

The lawyer nodded and gave her a smile. "Of course, Jinora."

She and Lee watched Jaya walk briskly down the street, before she tucked her hair behind her ears. She could feel Lee staring at her; it almost reminded her of their days back at boarding school, the stolen glances they'd exchange in class, young and falling fast for each other.

But that had been so many years ago. Everything was different now.

"So," said Lee softly, still looking at her intently, "what did you want to talk about?" He sounded almost resigned, as if he assumed she'd just be asking about the man she actually did love.

She forced herself to look at him. "Will this cost you your career?" she finally asked.

Lee brushed his hair out of his eyes. She thought of how Kai always ran his fingers all the way through―how he never held anything back. Lee had always been so formal, and reserved. A strength in high society, but...a weakness in their relationship.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I mean, an APA officer helping a pirate get off death row? There'll be a scandal, at the very least. But my father's already passed me over for the family fortune, so there's not much else he can do. I don't think he'd disown me... Kuvira might strip away my captainship, though."

Jinora chewed her bottom lip. "I'm sorry," she said weakly. "If you want to back out, I understand. I know you don't like Kai and―"

"You think I'm doing this for _him_?"

"No, I just―"

"You know why I'm here, Jinora. You've never been dumb." He started walking down in the street, and she nearly had to jog to catch up with him.

"Lee, I don't know what you want me to say," she said breathlessly. Running while pregnant, and in heels, was surprisingly hard. He slowed down. "You know how I feel. I loved you once. I still love you. But I'm not in love with you―and I can't apologize for that."

"I'm not asking you to. You don't owe me anything, Jinora, least of all an apology. But I'm not going to pretend that any part of this is easy."

Jinora smiled sadly. "I'm not asking you too."

Lee didn't smile back, even as they walked slowly in the direction of the prison. He wouldn't look at her. "I think I'm starting to get it. Why you love him."

Her brown eyes were shining as she looked at him. "Lee," she began, but he cut her off. He never listened to anything he couldn't understand.

"He asked me to take care of you."

Her lips twitched upwards, and she muttered, almost just to herself, "Of course he did."

"I think he really does love you."

"I know he does."

"I just wish things could be easier..."

She narrowed her eyes. "You mean if I had picked you?"

He met her gaze evenly. "I mean if you had picked just about anyone but him. But that doesn't matter, does it? We're here now. I said I wanted to be part of your life, no matter what that meant. So no, I'm not backing out. You need all the help you can get."

Jinora's face softened. "Okay," she said slowly, and swallowed hard. She felt a rush of gratitude. "Okay... thank you, Lee."

He nodded slightly. "You're welcome."

* * *

"You have a visitor," the guard rasped. Kai was led to the meeting room, supervised with a bunch of other prisoners―it couldn't have been Jinora, or any of his crew, or even Tenzin, as they were allowed to bypass all this excess stupidity―but and the guard undid his handcuffs. It was nice not to have heavy iron chains cutting into his wrists anymore; he could only imagine how Skoochy had felt for _years_.

A woman with long dark hair and a velvety purple dress, finely embroidered with gold, took the seat across from him. Shen Shen Sesi didn't smile as the pirate took a seat on the other side of the table. "Captain," she greeted curtly.

He tried to ward off the disappointment that it wasn't Jinora, and forced a small grin. "Ms. Sesi. What can I do for you?"

"Not much, at the moment," she replied. "Jinora doesn't know I'm here. She's not going to be able to make it today―"

His grin instantly vanished. "Is she okay―"

"She's fine. She's with your medic and a few of your men. They're going to see a doctor that specializes in doctors and it's likely to last during all of your visiting hours."

His panic died down to a faint buzz, nagging in the back of his mind, even as his heart sank at the knowledge of not getting to see his wife all day―and he had so few days left, now. But hopefully everything with the baby and Jin would be fine. He could live with that; he could die for that. He swallowed hard.

"I take it that's not what you came all this way to tell me?" he guessed. Shen Shen didn't seem like one to demote herself to be a mere messenger.

Shen Shen frowned at him. "Don't hurt her."

It reminded him too much of Lee, always so quick to judge. _And I don't want Jinora to get hurt more than she already has by you._

"I'm not going to―"

"You already have, and you're going to do more. After all, you're in here, and she's out there. This is exactly why I didn't want her getting involved with a man like you."

"A man like me," he repeated, and rolled his eyes. "You know, this isn't exactly ideal for me either. I've stared death in the eye before, but it's never been so slow."

He had always thought his death would be quick: throwing himself in front of a blade or a bullet to save someone he loved; bleeding out on the deck of a ship, content in the knowledge his family was safe. Not like this. Not with seven days left, stretching out in front of him, forever and nothing at all.

"I've come with a request," Shen Shen continued, even if her frown seemed to soften just the tiniest bit.

"I'm all ears, ma'am."

"Help her find some peace before the end of this. Or at least, the beginning of peace."

Well, at least Jinora had friends like this looking out for her. He smiled sadly. "You don't have to ask, Ms. Sesi. I already have it covered."

"You do?"

"The beginnings of it, anyway."

He'd have Lee Sono deliver the stack of letters in his cell in the morning.

* * *

Skoochy arrived at the prison before Lee did. He flashed his verification at the grumpy, sleepy guards, and walked briskly to Kai's cell. His Captain was slumped against the wall, half asleep, his chained wrists in his lap. A large, uneven stack of envelopes sat next to him. There must have been close to 30. Skoochy couldn't read all that well, but he could guess well enough what they were.

"Cap," he hissed. "C'mon Kai, wake up."

Kai roused, and cracked a grin at him. "Nice seeing your ugly mug, Skooch." But Skoochy couldn't return it, and his grin faded. "Skooch? What's wrong?"

The former slave glanced down at the floor, and then back up at Kai, his shaggy hair falling in front of his eyes, before he said, very quietly, but firmly, "Let me take your place."

Kai's face went blank. "W- _what_?"

"I'll confess and say I did it."

"What? No! Don't be stupid―"

"I can't just let you die!"

"I'm not going to die―"

Skoochy's eyes darkened. "Do you honestly believe that?" He reached for a pack of cigarettes that wasn't there; he had been smoking so much lately he'd run out.

Kai sighed. "Look, Skooch, it doesn't matter―I am not letting you die for me."

"But you have a family. Jinora needs you, _your kid_ needs you."

"And that kid needs its godfather," Kai replied evenly, "and the crew needs you. And your family needs you, to find them. You're gonna find them one day, Skooch, and you gotta be alive to do that." He managed a smile. "I've always been a dead man walking. A survivor. I had to lose sooner or later."

"Kai―"

"You're not changing my mind, Skoochy."

His friend sighed, and bitterly relented. "Fine. Promise me one thing though?" Kai nodded. "I get to kill LingShi for this."

The captain raised his brows. "You don't think Gyatso should?"

"No. Not while she's pregnant with your kid. And she's strong, but... do you think she'd be strong enough?"

Kai thought of Jinora's nature, inherently gentle―righteously angry, and sometimes cruel, but at her core she was kind. It was one of the things he loved most about her. If she tried to kill LingShi, he knew she could do it, but after the heat of the moment...if it wasn't in self defence. Some part of her would regret it, and she didn't another one.

He was sure being with him would soon be one too.

"No, I think you're right," he said finally. He reached out best he could with his chains, and grasped the bars separating them. "Thank you Skoochy. For..." The word everything got lodged in his throat. Skoochy had become his brother, born of blood and pain, like him, yet together, they had created something good. Something worthwhile. "For the cigarettes," he said finally.

Skoochy would have to smoke alone, now.

Skoochy wiped furiously at his eyes, barking out a bitter laugh. "You're a dumbass, Kai."

"Takes one to know one, Skooch," he shot back, feeling his own eyes sting. "If I don't get to see you after the trial... take of yourself, would you?"

"Yeah. Yeah, of course." Skoochy cleared his throat. "My family would've loved you."

His green eyes widened just a fraction, and his voice grew thick. He didn't want to cry, not even in front of his friend. "Yeah," he echoed. "I would've loved them too."

* * *

Jinora cried on her way back from the prison. It had become a regular occurrence, with only five days before the trial. Evening was settling over Republic City, a soft sunset glow that was both beautiful and melancholy. There were no windows in the prison, Jinora had learned; Kai couldn't even see the sea.

She hadn't seen Lee since the day they had spoken on the street, too caught up with the work Otaku and Jaya were doing. They were still trying to get in touch with the boy Kai had traded places with in the orphanage, but with every fruitless hour, she could feel herself growing more restless. She had barely slept the previous night. She knew Yung was worried, and so were her friends. (Shen Shen Sesi had been coming around every day, and Pfannee Wen whenever she could, to coax Jinora into eating properly for the baby. Miki Nanuq had been helping Otaku with going through the former slaves' letters.)

And yet... what if it wasn't enough? She tried to put on a brave face for Kai, tried not to ever lose hope, but she knew that all the odds were stacked high against them. They had always been lucky, but what if luck wasn't enough this time?

She tried to stop the shaking of her shoulders, and wiped at her eyes. She couldn't have a breakdown outside the prison. She was lucky enough her father had fended off the majority of the harassment the press had been giving her. She knew he couldn't do it forever, though. The last thing she needed the papers to print was that she was losing her mind.

Jinora swiped at her eyes with her sleeve, feeling the air ripple through her clothes, when she felt a rough hand grab at her arm.

She immediately went to draw her dagger when she saw who had grabbed her, and the air left her lungs. Her eyes flashed as she wrenched herself out of his grip. "What are you doing here, LingShi?" she snarled.

He grinned at her, dark eyes glittering maliciously as he took a small step forward. "I can't check in on my dearest ex?"

She took out her dagger, gripping the hilt tightly. "Take one more step and I'll gut you," she threatened. "I'm not helpless anymore."

LingShi shook his head. "Aren't you? The father of your child about to die, and you can't do a thing about it." He circled her with an infuriatingly superior air, as if he knew something she didn't.

She hated him all the more for it, and spat out, "What the hell do you want, LingShi?"

He stopped once he was back in front of her, his smile fading. "I have a proposition for you. A bargain, if you will. An exchange."

"Just spit it out."

"I'm leading the prosecution against dear old Kai. But I can just as easily stop. I can use my connections to get him off death row. To let him go free, even." He leaned in, staring into her eyes. His hungry eyes traced her face, and she held back a shudder; he made her skin crawl. She felt almost sick, being this close to him. "Of course, if I did that, I'd need something in return."

Oh now she really was going to throw up. "Which is?"

"You may be carrying his child, and you may be a pirate whore, but you are not his wife, no matter what you insist. But you can―you will be― _mine_." He grabbed her arm and dug his fingers in, an iron grip. "I let your pathetic pirate go, and you marry me. And just to make sure he can't have any ideas of getting you back, we'll move far away from the sea. To Ba Sing Se. And we'll get rid of the little mutt you two made―"

"I am not aborting my child," Jinora said fiercely.

"Fine," LingShi said sourly. "But the brat gets sent off to the father without a word. And you never see either of them again."

"But Kai is saved."

"Yes." He leered at her. "So, do we have a deal? I need at least a day to hold up my end of the bargain."

A lump formed in her throat. Skoochy had come to her crying, and told her about his offer. Kai's hands shook in his iron chains as he held her, during the visiting hours. He was terrified, even if he would never admit it, yet had spent so much time consoling her, asking after her, and the baby. Wasn't it time for her to save him, even if it was for the last time?

She swallowed hard. "I'll give you my answer tomorrow."

LingShi's eyes moved up and down her body, and it took everything in her not to tremble. "Very well, then. Sweet dreams, Miss Gyatso."

She watched him walk away as the sun finished setting over Yue Bay, and choked back a sob, her palms curved over her stomach.

She was still shaking by the time she reached her home, and stripped out of her clothes and pulled on one of Kai's shirts, curling up in her empty bed. No one could know what LingShi had said until the last minute, least of all Kai himself. Would she even take the deal? Was she that desperate? Perhaps, not yet... but time was running out. She'd wait and see, if they had a real chance of winning the trial.

Hopefully things would be better in the morning. If she could just close her eyes and fall asleep, and have the morning come faster... have Kai's time run out more quickly.

She sobbed into her pillow. She thought about LingShi's deal into long into the night, no matter how hard she tried to nod off, it was no use.

Jinora couldn't sleep.


	23. 14 Days Part II

Chapter 23: 14 Days Part II

* * *

The letters arrived at the manor in the morning.

Lee brought them up and found Tenzin awake in the breakfast nook, grave-faced. He couldn't blame the man; with only three days left until the trial, there wasn't much to be optimistic about. All the letters from former slaves was in order, although none of them could attest to any of the slaveowners that had died during the Quil Massacre. They hadn't been able to get in contact with Charo Zhang, not even with Lee's resources as an officer—although nobody had told Lee _why_ the man was so important, which was annoying on multiple levels—and they were running out of time.

As for the possible newspaper scandal, Jaya Jun, that nagivator's genius girlfriend, had somehow managed to twist LingShi's arm and get him to stop making threats to expose Lee's hand in the trial. So his career wasn't down the toilet—yet, anyway.

It was with that miserable thought Lee took a seat next to the older man, who poured him a cup of calming tea without a word. The sun was still rising over Yue Bay, making the water sparkle, and he could see the Waterbender moored in the docks of Air Temple Island. All the pirates must have been sleeping (although Lee suspected the first mate Yung was already at the prison with his boy), or trying to.

Nobody must have been in worse shape than Jinora, however. She was still in bed, although Lee knew there was no way she was sleeping.

"He..." Lee began, and then cleared his throat, setting down the envelopes far away from the tea pot. "The Captain wanted me to bring these."

"Thank you," Tenzin said quietly. "I hope you know Lee, how much we all appreciate what you're doing for us. For Jinora. She's lucky to have you back in her life, during this time."

"You're welcome, sir. I meant what I said, about wanting to have some kind of a relationship with her again, whatever it may be."

"I know, Lee. I always liked you," said Tenzin ruefully, not quite managing a smile.

Lee inclined his head. "I know, sir."

The Governor's gaze dropped to his mug. "You know, when she first told me she loved him, I thought it was out of spite. That she had picked the worst man possible, just to get under my skin, and that was bad enough. But then when I realized she truly did love him, it was even worse. She had fallen for a murderer, a womanizer, a thief, a man who'd drop her as soon as he got bored, who was reckless, impulsive, endangering her life." He took a long sip of his tea. "And lately, I've been... I've been realizing I was wrong."

Lee stared at him. "Sir?" The Governor merely sighed. "Tenzin?"

"I always thought this would end with Jinora's heart being broken—I just never thought it would be because of this." He glanced over at the envelopes. "I suppose those are letters?"

"I—I haven't checked," Lee admitted. "I didn't want to intrude." He busied himself by taking a big gulp of his tea.

"No, of course not."

"I did see, names written on the envelopes. A bunch of them are for Jinora." Lee swallowed, trying to gauge Tenzin's blank face for some trace of a reaction. "And the baby."

He nearly dropped his mug when he heard footsteps echoing down the hall, and both men looked up as Jinora rounded the corner, wearing a baggy white button up shirt he assumed was Kai's, bags under her eyes and her wedding ring glittering on her finger, her hair curlier than usual. She still wore half of an anchor pendant around her neck, one hand resting on the ever growing swell of her stomach.

"You don't have to stop talking," she told them, eyes flicking up and then back down. She shuffled forwards to put the kettle on for more tea. "Even if you were talking about me."

Lee winced. "Jinora—"

"I've experienced enough of it the past year to know when people are talking about me, Lee. It's nothing." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she turned away from the kettle, catching sight of the stack of letters, brown eyes narrowing. "Damn that bastard—I told him not to do that."

Tenzin looked torn between confusion and mortified by his daughter's language so early in the morning; Lee supposed it only made sense she would swear like a sailor.

Still, he was confused too. "Um...write letters?"

"Give up. He's saying goodbye—or trying to." Jinora yanked the kettle off the stove when it let out a shrill whistle, remembering all too well when she had stood in the _Waterbender_ 's kitchen with Kai half past midnight and another kettle had gone off. Later on, he had confessed he had wanted to ask her to stay, only two months into their friendship. She couldn't give up on him. She _wouldn't_ give up on him.

She poured herself a cup of tea with shaking hands, her voice steady as she asked, "Where are we with Charo Zhang?"

"We have his address," Lee answered. "Miss Sesi is looking into extending an invitation, although it'll take a few days."

Of course. Shen Shen was the most high profile out of any of them in high society, with the best reputation and the best contacts. But they didn't have any days to spare.

"We don't have time to waste," said Jinora shortly. Especially not if she had to give her answer to LingShi regarding his offer by the end of the day. "I'll take Jaya and maybe Shen Shen and go over there this afternoon."

"You don't have the legal jurisdiction—"

"Then you can come too."

Her tone didn't leave any room for negotiation, and Lee nodded. "Let me know when we're leaving."

* * *

"Hey kid."

Kai looked up from his chains, trying to figure out if he had a dagger if he could pick the lock to see Yung standing on the other side of the bars. He managed a smile. "Hey Yung. How'd they let you in? It won't be visiting hours for awhile now." Sono would let things slide since he had some authority over the regular prison guards, but with him out of the picture, the guards were stricter, harsher. Being his food later or sometimes not at all.

"They think I'm your dad." Yung took a seat across from him. "That and there was some paperwork that had to filled out, a prison registration form or something along those lines—Jaya can explain better than me—and I'm listed as your legal guardian."

Kai smiled wryly. "I'm a little too old to have a legal guardian."

"Never too old to be taken care of." Yung dug a hand inside his jacket pocket and pulled some of Daw's cookies in a napkin, handing it over between the bars. "Now eat up. You look nearly as thin as when I first found you."

It was an exaggeration, but Kai didn't have to be told twice, shovelling the cookies into his mouth and licking the crumbs off his fingers best he could, knowing that if the guards caught him with any non-prison food they'd confiscate it, and they certainly did not deserve to taste Daw's delicious cooking.

Kai quickly swallowed the last of the cookies. "Thanks Yung."

"No problem kiddo. How're you doing?"

"I'm fine."

Yung threw him a dry stare. "I know about the letters, Kai."

"What about them?"

"You're not supposed to be saying goodbye, kid. Not yet."

Kai frowned. "You know it's not exactly a choice."

"And you know you do have a choice. A choice not to give in, to keep on hoping," said Yung firmly. "For Jinora, for the baby—"

"They'll be fine," said Kai shortly.

"Than do it for me." Their gazes locked, and the hardness in Kai's eyes faded despite himself, a lump rising in his throat. "You're _my_ kid—"

Kai ducked his head. "Yung—"

"—so don't you _dare_ think that I'd ever be better off without you. And neither is anyone else, especially Jinora. Or your baby." Yung's bottom lip quivered. "The world's a better place with you in it, and I'll keep telling you that until you believe it."

Kai couldn't quite manage to swallow the lump in his throat. "I'm scared, Yung," he admitted quietly.

"I know," said Yung softly. "It's okay, kid." His boy reached up and hastily wiped at his eyes. "You're going to be okay. You just gotta hold on a little longer, that's all." His voice grew gentler as he repeated, " _You're going to be okay_."

Kai nodded numbly, trying to believe him. "Yeah. I hope so too."

* * *

The Zhang family mansion was one of the fanciest houses Jinora had never been in. There were very few she hadn't over the years, attending galas and political fundraisers and stuffy dinner parties with the rest of her family, or the very least her parents. Now, standing outside the gilded golden doors on the small platform from the stairs, finely trimmed hedges on either side of the elaborate gardens that sprawled over the Zhang's estate, she was without any of her family. Instead, Lee Sono stood to her right, Jaya Jun to her right, and Shen Shen Sesi was knocking sharply on the door.

"I could lose my captainship for this," Lee muttered under his breath, and knew they were thinking the same thing: if the Zhangs refused to cooperate and left a complaint.

"I didn't ask you to come," Jinora hissed back, before plastering on a smile as the door swung open.

An old butler with creaking joints stood in the doorway, and raised his bushy eyebrows as he surveyed the sight before him: an APA officer, an heiress, a lawyer, and a runaway pirate. "You've come to call on the Zhang family?" he asked, a slight wheeze to his voice.

"Yes," said Shen Shen smoothly, smiling reassuringly. "It's nice to see you again, Baroku. Can you please tell Lord Zhang that Shen Shen Sesi has come to call? There's something my associates and I would like to discuss with him."

Baruko blinked, and then bowed his head dutifully. "Of course, Lady Sesi. It's a pleasure to see you again." There was a hint of a smile as he straightened up. "Come right this way—you know that Lord Charo can never say no to you."

Shen Shen smirked as they entered the grand foyer room, full of beautifully panelled walls of wood with portraits lining the walls, and leaned towards Jinora as she whispered smugly, "He really can't. Good thing he's not married yet."

Jinora made a scoffing noise in the back of her throat. "How are you and Charo on such good terms then?"

Shen Shen raised her brows. "Dropping titles already? You really are out of practice." Jinora shot her a look. "My father and his father worked together for the Badgermole Mining Corp, back when they were young businessmen. Before the Zhangs struck gold somewhere near Ba Sing Se and inherited their fortune."

"So they're self made," remarked Jaya. "Interesting."

"As self made as any millionaire can be," said Shen Shen dryly. "Now that I've got you here, will you finally tell me why we're calling on Lord Charo? Beyond an enjoyable night."

"He and Kai have an unexpected connection," said Jinora. "I'll explain it once we meet him; Jaya has the evidence to back it up in her files."

Indeed, the petite lawyer had a thick folder tucked under one arm, with Kai's adoption dismissal, among other information she had managed to dig up. The more she had learned about Gunthra's orphanage, and the mistreatment the children had subsequently suffered there, the more sick to her stomach she had felt. Still, someone had to do the harder jobs in the world—and Jaya was just the woman to do it.

The butler came back a few minutes later with Lord Charo in tow. He was a tad on the shorter side, stockier built with inky black eyes, and light brown hair pulled into a ponytail with skin just a shade lighter. He managed a smile once he saw Shen Shen.

"Lady Sesi, it is an honour to see you again."

She extended her hand and he brushed his lips across her knuckles. "I'm afraid this is a matter of business rather than pleasure, Lord Charo—surely you've met Jinora Gyatso?"

Charo studied her, something simmering under his gaze; Jinora raised her chin defiantly. A little more than a year ago, she would have met him with powdered cheeks, an elegant gown and a tight corset, yet now she stood before him freely, short haired and heavily pregnant, dressed like a pirate. Pride swelled in her chest.

"I've heard of her, yes," he said slowly, looking from her to Lee to Jaya. "But what does she have to do with—?"

"You would have been very young," said Jinora, a lump rising in her throat; _Please, please let this_ _work,_ "but do you remember a woman named Gunthra?"

Charo flinched as though he'd been struck across the face, and she supposed she had. "How do you know—"

"You were at an orphanage in Geishou, Omashu. And so was Kai, the captain of the _Waterbender_. You both suffered at her hands...You must have been reading the news, you know what's happening to him. He's on trial for his life." Her voice cracked slightly. "Please—I—I'll do _anything_ to help him."

Even sign herself over to LingShi if this didn't work.

"So I was at the same orphanage as a pirate: so what? Nearly every kid in there went on to join a crew or a gang or something just as bad."

"Your parents never told you?" she breathed.

Charo glared at her. "Told me what?"

"Charo dear, what's all this about?"

They all turned around to see a petite, older woman with auburn hair and Charo's inky black eyes coming down the steps, dressed in a shimmering, golden gown.

"My mother," said Charo, frowning at her. "Who I will not have you bothering with this nonsense, Ms. Sesi, I really expected better from you—"

Lady Zhang blinked at the sight of Jinora, looking between her and her son with a stricken expression. "Charo, sweetheart, I'm afraid you misunderstand."

"We have the papers for it, ma'am," said Jaya, pulling a yellowing piece of parchment out of her file, and holding it out.

Lady Zhang quickly descended the stairs, reaching for the document with a trembling hand. "Son, there's something I need to tell you." She looked at the closest servant and ordered, "Go get my husband, immediately. Bring him to the tea room." Forcing a smile, she turned back to the odd party assembled in her foyer. "Would any of you care for some tea?"

Jinora managed a tiny smile, remembering some of high society etiquette as inclined her head. "That would be very welcome, Lady Zhang, thank you."

Lady Zhang bowed her head graciously, her smile nervous, but a little happier as she asked, "How far along are you?"

Jinora placed a hand over her large stomach. "Almost six months."

"My husband will be down in the moment," she began, when a creaking on the stairs made them look up. Lord Zhang was an older man with bushy white hair and grey eyes, but Charo had his strong jaw. He had one hand curled over a knobbly cane.

He looked up and squinted. "Jinora Gyatso?"

"Yes, your lordship."

He waved his hand. "Come along, then," he beckoned. "You and your friends. My son should hear what you have to say."

And so, her heart trembling, they all followed him into the tea room.

* * *

LingShi Chow had waited a very long time for this. Ever since that blasted pirate had gotten the better of him in that alleyway—ever since that son of a bitch had stolen _his_ wife—LingShi had waited for this day, a day when he would he would have something to lord over the pirate, a card up his sleeve. And this card was the best one, the ace of hearts.

Because after all, even he could see the pirate was hopelessly in love with Jinora Gyatso.

LingShi had had to wait for such an opportunity, too. That fat old pirate hardly ever left Kai's side, and Jinora visited everyday whenever she could, hell, even the Governor stopped by sometimes. That, and Jinora's ex—poor man, being strung along with false hope; LingShi wouldn't hesitate to crush his career underfoot, however, if he got in his way—had put in extra precautions to make sure nothing happened to Kai in jail.

Without the APA captain nearby, however, LingShi had found the guards stationed at Kai's cell were far more keen to accept bribes.

"Hello Captain."

Kai looked up from his chained hands in his lap as the guards left, and his eyes were blazing when he looked up to see LingShi towering over him. "What the hell do you want, Chow?"

"Nothing, actually."

"I'm not stupid."

"Could have fooled me." LingShi straightened out the cuffs of his fine jacket. "I merely came by to tell you something I thought would be relevant to your interests. After all, she is your whore—"

Kai lunged forward so quickly LingShi took a step back despite himself, the pirate's hands slamming into the bars as he snarled, "If you do anything to her I will kill you with my bare hands—"

"That won't be necessary, Captain," LingShi replied, regaining his composure. "She'll be coming to me of her own free will, you see."

A tightness formed in Kai's chest. "And how do you figure that?" he growled.

"I've offered her a deal. I told her I'd step down from persecuting you, get you off death row, bribe the jury to set you free. It seemed like a good deal, after all, and in return..." LingShi smiled, teeth flashing. "Your life, your freedom, in exchange for her hand in marriage. You can call her your wife all you want, but that doesn't make your pathetic little pirate marriage legally binding, Captain."

The blood drained from Kai's face. "No," he breathed, and then shaking the bars, far more loudly, "NO! You son of a bitch, I won't let you, you won't touch her—" A sob built in his throat, because he knew Jinora as well as he knew himself, knew what she was already planning to do.

"And just to make sure you can't come after her, I'll take her far away from the sea. Send the brat you two made back to you as soon as possible...unless something terrible happens to it, that is. And of course, once she's my wife, there's not much point in keeping you around, now is there? You'll just be a thorn in my side. Jinora doesn't need to know that, of course."

"As soon as I get out of here," Kai hissed, "you're dead, you understand me Chow? _Dead_. Even if I can't get you myself, I'll make sure you die as painfully as possible—" Skoochy, he remembered, had asked to be the one to do it, and Kai knew he would.

"And incriminate Jinora for murder, or as an accomplice? Risking her life if she was ever captured? Oh Captain, we both know you'd never do that."

Kai swallowed down his rage as LingShi took another step back.

"You had your fun, Captain. Now it's time for you to learn the consequences of stealing what's rightfully mine—and I will never let it slip away again."

Kai glared through the bars until LingShi was gone, and then slumped against them, his eyes stinging. His wedding band—he had been so thankful the guards had allowed him to keep it—burned against his skin. He felt like he was going to throw up.

 _Jinora_.

 _Please, please don't do this._

He would just have to convince her not to. If anyone could, it was him. He didn't know how he manage it yet, but he would. For once, he'd just have to be more stubborn than she was.

* * *

"So you're saying," said Charo Zhang in a tight, strained voice, "that the only reason I'm here is because—I-I was sloppy seconds?!" His black eyes swept over his parents, bright with tears and accusations.

His mother placed an aged hand on his shoulder. "You are our son, and we love you. We've never regretted choosing you—"

"But you didn't." Charo jerked his head towards Jinora. " _He_ did." A heavy silence fell over the room as his eyes wandered over the room, as if not sure where to look.

Lee and Shen Shen, for whom the truth had been a surprise, looked stricken. There was a hint of frustration in the furrow of Lee's brow: every time he thought he could hate the man, at least on some basic level, Kai gave him another reason not to.

"Son—" began Lord Zhang.

"Don't." Charo shook his head, turning back to Jinora. "So, I'm only rich and privilege and a son of nobility because some kid decided to take pity on me and my _parents_ listened to him?"

"Kai had been at the orphanage for longer," she said softly, remembering the scars he had shown her, the scars he had earned while staying there. Her fingers had traced them so many times, she felt as though she could feel the lines of marred flesh even now, underneath her fingertips. "He... Gunthra hated the two of you particularly, and he thought—he just thought he could handle it better. That he could survive, and that—and that you couldn't. It's in his nature, Charo. I know it's hard for you to think of a pirate as a person, let alone a good one, but he is a good man."

"He still..." Charo broke off in a frustrated sigh, glaring at his parents again. He couldn't seem to quite get over the sting that he hadn't been their first choice, not that Jinora could truly blame him. It was a heavy truth to tell, and harder still to accept and not be bitter about it.

"I didn't come here to disrupt your family," she said, very quietly. "I came to save my husband. I... Kai has suffered, because of his path in life, I will not deny that. But the past few months, this one notwithstanding, he's been happy. Really, truly happy the way he deserves to be. And I won't deny that he has done terrible things, because he has, but the good things he's done far outweighs him. I just want to save him. And if you would testify, it would be a turning point in the case..."

"And let my shame be known to the public?" spluttered Charo, rising from his chair.

"Charo," said Shen Shen soothingly, laying a hand on his arm.

"Shut up, Sesi," he snapped, throwing her off. "No, I will not let myself be humiliated by this pirate any further. You'll have to save him yourself."

" _He saved you!_ "Jinora nearly screamed, staggering to her feet.

"I don't want his pity!" Charo screeched. "I don't want to be my parents' second choice! And I certainly don't want to be lectured by a pirate's whore!"

Her face crumbled, and then reformed her armour. "Fine," she said sharply. "I'll save him myself. Charo Zhang, I hope you burn in hell."

And she strode out of the kitchen without another word, even as she heard the argument continuing behind her.

"Charo, be reasonable," his mother pleaded. "We can testify—"

"If you do, I'll never speak to you again!"

Jinora broke down in tears in the middle of the foyer. She'd accept LingShi's deal, then. There was no other way. Even the interview scheduled with Lefty's friend Ranshaw the following day couldn't possibly be enough to turn the tide and the public's opinion.

She felt Shen Shen wrap an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into her side. "I'm sorry Jinora," her friend whispered.

"I'm sure I can get them for something," Lee muttered under his breath, as he and Jaya joined them. "Tax fraud or something, I'll do a bit of digging—"

"No," Jinora almost sobbed. "Don't. He wouldn't want you to." And Kai wouldn't. He had seen something in that boy worth saving, worth protecting, god knew what it was, but he had sacrificed for it. Kai, despite what had just transpired, would want the Zhangs to be happy, in the end.

They exited the mansion in a stiff silence except for the sound of her trying to compose herself while they waited for the carriage to come pick them up.

It struck her, as she stood there waiting, and not for the first time, that Kai was a much better person than almost anyone ever deserved to know.


	24. The Trial Part I

Chapter 24: The Trial Part I

The seconds ticked by far too slowly and far too fast, as Kai waited in his cell for the visiting hours to finally begin. He kept twisting his wedding ring around his finger, the metal still gleaming and gold despite the prison grime, trying to keep himself together, to keep his hands from betraying the anxiety coiling in his stomach like a snake—

His ears caught the sound of footsteps against the stone, and for one hopeful, dreadful moment he thought it was Jinora; it was the guards coming back from their bribed break, with fresh cigarettes and jovial grins on their faces. The taller, skinnier one kept nudging the other one in the side—Kai sighed when he recognized the glazed look in their eyes. How had they managed to flat out drunk (or high? Both?) in only an hour?

"Ooh, look at the pretty pirate," the shorter one crowed. "See 'im pouting! What a baby."

"I'm surprised you know what the word pouting means," Kai muttered under his breath, forcing his hands to go still. The guard didn't seem to have heard.

He was resigning himself to seeing nothing but more guards with heads in their asses at the sound of footprints, when—hey, wait, he recognized those footprints.

Kai sprang to his feet, clutching at the bars as his chains clattered against the metal. "Jinora."

She looked ragged but still beautiful, still his, her wedding ring glimmering on her finger as she curled her hands over his. "Hey, Captain," she greeted tiredly, and a frown tugged at his mouth. He barely even noticed Tenzin coming up behind her.

"What's wrong, love?" _Please don't let it be the baby_.

"Charo Zhang wouldn't fold."

Relief and dread flooded him all at once. "Oh." He gripped her hands tightly. "That's alright, Gyatso. We—we'll figure something out, I—" What happened moments ago came back to him, and his reassuring smile melted off his face. "You won't believe who just came to see me."

Jinora immediately understood, and narrowed her eyes. "There's no other way, Kai."

"I can't let you do this."

"You do not _let_ me do anything. This is my choice. _Mine_."

Kai grit his teeth as she slipped her hands out from under his. "I can't let you throw your life away, and tie it down to—to someone like him _,_ after everything he did to you—after everything he tried to do to you—"

"What is going on?" Tenzin burst, voice ringing in the sparse cell.

"LingShi Chow just visited me," said Kai tersely, tearing his gaze away from Jinora. "Told me all about the deal he's offered Jinora. That if she'll marry him, he'll let me go free." Tenzin made a noise of surprise in the back of his throat, and Kai looked desperately at his best friend. "Jin, you can't—"

Her lips flattened into a thin, trembling line. "I can't let you die." She was more sad than angry, now. "I won't—I can't lose you. Not again."

"Jinora," Tenzin began, "think rationally—"

"If you agree to this, I'll still be dying," said Kai quickly. "Because you will be too. You honestly think he'll let me go? That after he has you he'll just let me live? He knows I won't stay away, that I won't stop until you're free from him. He'll arrange some accident, or hire a hitman. He's not the answer, Jinora—hey—" He reached for her hands, and she let him take them, tears welling in her eyes as she kept them downcast. "Look at me. Just look at me," he begged, and she slowly raised her head, her gaze locking with his. "I won't let you end up like my mother."

A sob caught in her throat, and then crumbled, sinking to her chest. "Kai—" her voice broke.

"Please." He gripped her hands like a lifeline, and pressed his lips to her fingers. "Don't do this. I'd rather be dead than know you're with that monster."

"I—I won't," she said finally, her voice weak but surprisingly steady.

He squeezed her hands. "Promise me."

"I promise."

He pressed a kiss to the brunt of her fingers through the cold metal bars, cracking a small smile. "Thank you, Gyatso." She slipped her hands out of his, running her thumb along the bags under one of his eyes, green and duller than they had ever been. "Make sure someone is with you, when you tell LingShi to go shove a sword up his ass. Appa or Lefty, okay? Someone big and scary, since I can't be there."

"I will," she said. "I have to give my answer later today. But try and get some sleep, and proper food. You need all your strength."

Kai smiled faintly, and coaxed a similarly small smile out of her. "That's what Yung keeps saying."

"Where is Yung, anyway?"

"I think he's off talking with Jaya. I've been on my own with the guards for the morning, but it hasn't been too bad."

Her eyes scanned him for injuries. "They haven't touched you?" she checked.

"Gyatso, we both know I could take five men down even with handcuffs on. Chin up, would you? I miss your smile more than anything. Except maybe Daw's cooking."

She let out a soft chuckle even if she was torn between laughter and tears, and her eyes were still rimmed with red, and it warmed him to the core. She ran her thumb over his wedding ring. "I'll be back later, Captain. We have an interview scheduled with Lefty's friend Ranshaw this evening. You ready to answer personal questions for the whole public to hear?"

Kai's expression grew serious, somber. "If it means coming back to you, then yes."

Her heart swelled. "I love you so much," she whispered, her voice shaking a little.

"I love you too." He gave her hands one last squeeze, and then let go, his warmth lingering on her skin. "Now go. A prison is no place for a pregnant woman."

"Fine. I'll be back later."

She was walking away when Kai beckoned the Governor forwards with a slight shake of his hand and rattling of his chains. "Yes?" Tenzin asked quietly, his brow pinched in confusion.

"I wrote you a letter, sir." Kai swallowed. "As well. And I think, before the trial, uh, would be a good time to read it."

"Why wait two days?" he said, perplexed.

"Father, are you coming?" Jinora called.

"Yes, dear." He gave Kai a confused look, and then smoothed his face over as he rejoined Jinora. Whatever the Captain had meant...well, he supposed he'd find out soon enough.

* * *

Ren Ranshaw was exactly the sort of man you would expect to befriend Lefty. He was loud and jovial, if squat and with a wide beer belly, and thick greying mustache that was still mostly black, with a pocket watch tucked into the breast pocket of his red coat with gold buttons. The ones round his middle barely seemed to stay on, as he brought his assistant with him, a petite teenage boy with a notebook and a pen clasped anxiously in one hand.

"Jinora Gyatso, it's a pleasure to meet you." He gave Jinora's hand a very firm, heavy shake. They had been moved to one of the smaller visitor rooms for privacy, with a table and chairs, and best of all, Kai had been let out of his shackles. Jinora winced, shaking out her hand when he seized Kai's and did the same, before embracing Lefty with a hearty laugh and Yung a good hearted wink. "Kai, you've grown up so much!"

"Have we met?" the pirate said in confusion.

"No, no, you'd never forget me like that—but Lefty sent me a picture in a letter of his, some odd ten years ago. You woulda been twelve back then, eh? Near the front of the crew with Yung over there, you were kind of a pipsqueak. Lefty said you were really something back then, and he was right, wasn't he?" Ren hefted himself onto one of the stools, and his assistant hastily took a seat next to him, pen at the ready. "Now, Peng, get this down—this is my assistant Peng, he's an intern—anyway, as I was saying, you two have made quite the splash in the papers for the last—gosh it's been almost a year, hasn't it?"

"Nearly eleven months," said Jinora, winding her fingers through Kai's, as the couple, Yung, and Lefty, all took a seat.

"And I remember when you were taken, Jinora—may I call you Jinora?—I remember all the fuss there was. The Governor's daughter getting held hostage by a pirate. So I have to ask, was the spark there right away? Love at first sight?"

Was it better to be honest or sell the public the best story available, Jinora wondered. Kai puffed out a laugh and the question dissolved. She'd tell their story, for better or for worse, as an honest testament to their love, so that at least if the world decided to rip it away from her they'd know what they were ruining.

"Not at all," Kai said. "Well, mostly, not at all."

Peng quickly jotted things down in his notepad, and Ren sat back, seemingly impressed, or at least intrigued. "Do elaborate then, my dear Captain."

The corner of Jinora's mouth lifted. "We sort of hated each other, at first."

Peng arched his eyebrows, looking absolutely delighted. "Really?"

"Did nothing but argue," added Kai, pressing his smile to her cheek in a light kiss. It had been so long since he'd been able to do that, so long since he'd had a reason to smile beyond just trying to cheer him up. Nostalgia and hindsight was making him sentimental; go figure.

"So then, what changed?"

The two pirates shared a smile. "It's a long story, but it starts," said Jinora, "like this..."

The headline came out the following day, in the Republic City Rag: _STAR CROSSED LOVERS BOUND AT SEA, AND IN CHAINS_. It was the first headline in weeks that had made Jinora smile, as the paper was dropped off at the morning's breakfast table, and it was the first article period, that she didn't feel a spike of anger towards.

 _Many rumours have circulated about the love affair between Miss Jinora Gyatso, the daughter of the Governor Republic City and esteemed noble lady, and the fearsome pirate captain, Kai of the Waterbender. However, I can attest as a first hand witness that the love between the two could not be more genuine or resilient. Teasing and steadfast, both are aware of the unlikeliness of their romance, as well as how far they have come from their first meeting. "Once we got over our initial reactions," remembers Gyatso with a fond smile, "we became quite good friends, and tried to convince ourselves that's all we were for the longest time, because of well, you know..." "Didn't think I'd ever deserve her," adds the Captain, and she leans over and kisses his cheek in response._

 _It's also true that the love they hold for each other translates over to the child they're expecting. When it comes to the Captain's current legal confines (a rather teary subject for Miss Gyatso), his biggest regret is his unlikely chances of living to see the child's birth._

"Good thing you have friends in all the right places," said Jinora to Lefty. Maybe this could sway the public enough that the jurors wouldn't be immediately biased against Kai, since they didn't have Charo Zhang on their side.

Lefty chuckled. "Ren's more than a friend."

"Oh, you—?"

"They screwed around in their 20s, and still do," said Appa, butting in. "I'm surprised you two never got settled down and married, actually."

Lefty grinned. "Marriage doesn't suit us, but thank you, Appa. I'll be sure to tell Ren that next time I see him."

"Well it's sweet you have a boyfriend," said Jinora sweetly, and then winced when she felt a hard kick in her stomach. Both men looked to her in concern. "I'm alright, it's just the baby." She tried for another smile. "They miss their daddy, I guess. I think I'll go make some tea."

Daw was always recommending a certain blend to her, to help ease the discomfort of pregnancy. How her mother had done this four times, she didn't know. But what she wouldn't give to get to have more children with Kai, years from now. She curled her arms around herself as she padded into the kitchen, and found her mother and Yung speaking quietly. At least, judging by the way they kept talking when they noticed her walk in, they hadn't been talking about her and Kai. Or at least, they hadn't been talking about any of their less than ideal circumstances.

"Yung," she said, "do we have any of that special herbal tea Daw's been brewing for me?"

"Think so." He flashed a quick, tired smile, before turning around to reach up in the cupboards. Due to the pirates on the island and the insanity of the snotty media, most of their servants had been sent on vacation leave for the time being, until the whole mess was over.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" asked Pema.

"I'm alright. The baby's just kicking again."

"Sit down then," Yung advised, coming back with a tea bag. "I'll put the kettle on."

"Thank you." She took a seat next to her mother. "Usually I'm the one making tea for Kai, except in the winter." She tried to muster up a smile, but couldn't manage it, with the trial happening in the following morning. "So, what were you and mum talking about now?"

"Living arrangements for the baby, actually," Pema said hesitantly. "Given that you and Kai aren't married—"

"We're married according to pirate law," said Jinora shortly, "which is the only law we cared about—until now."

"I know, dear, I'm not trying to discredit it. But there will be a tricky legal system, given our status, and birth records, and the such. I know you and Kai were dead set on raising the baby on the ship, that is definitely still a valid opportunity, but given the circumstances... the most likely outcome—"

"Mother—"

"What she's saying is that it might be wise to stay in the area until the baby is born, and afterwards as well," said Yung gently. "Just for a little bit, so we can get all settled, and adjust to... to Kai coming home."

 _Or becoming captain myself_. It was never a position Yung had wanted, even becoming first mate hadn't been something he really wanted, and yet that was the position he'd held for the past twenty years or so, mostly because he had a mind for numbers and organization, for calming a captain's temper and forging compromises. Maybe he'd give the captainship to Skoochy, or something. He was getting up there in age after all. If his boy was laid to rest, he didn't know how much time he'd need to recover. If ever.

Jinora hung her head. "I suppose you're right."

Yung took the kettle off just before it was about to blow, and poured three mugs for all of them, dropping the tea bag into Jinora's, and oolong and ginseng for him and Pema respectively.

"It'll be alright," said Pema softly. "Just hold on."

Jinora's gaze dropped past the article Ranshaw had published, to the standard Republic City Gazette. There was a photograph of Kuvira on the front page, stony faced in black and white. Apparently she had come back into the city for the trial. Jinora's stomach lurched. Did Kai really stand a chance against her without Charo Zhang? Without LingShi's deal?

Telling the man hadn't been pleasant, and Jinora had been grateful to have Appa, Imaru, and Sudhir by her side when she told LingShi she had refused his deal. Lee had set up some monitors on the Chow family, to make sure LingShi couldn't use his money to sway the trial against them, either, but who knew how well that could work out?

Still, she had to be strong for Kai tomorrow. He would never admit it, but she knew he was as terrified as she was. She blew on her tea before taking a sip. She had to trust Jaya, and the gods, that they wouldn't condemn a man to a punishment that was more than the sins he had committed.

* * *

It was a quarter to midnight when Tenzin finally turned to the left side drawer of his desk, in his dimly lit study. The rest of the letters were kept in the Waterbender, in the captain and Otaku's shared study for safekeeping, but Tenzin had kept his one here. He'd done this best not to think about it, cue locking it away, but it had still wriggled at the back of his mind all day.

Finally, he couldn't fight it anymore. He wouldn't be able to sleep if he didn't, not that he was expecting to get much with the trial happening approximately ten hours from now.

The captain's writing was slanted and messy but legible, as Tenzin took out the envelope and opened it with a letter opener kept in his right side drawer.

 _Dear Governor,_

 _I wasn't even sure if I should address you with "dear", because let's face it: you and I have never exactly gotten along. That being said, I hope you know how much I appreciate you setting aside your feelings against me for the love you have for your daughter. Even with everything that's happened, you've been a wonderful father to her, and a very human one too. I wish I could stick around and see if I could do as good a job as you with my own kid, but I highly doubt both of these outcomes._

 _And I know that for all her misgivings, Jin loves you a lot too. And I have been_ —something close to a teardrop had smudged the ink, and Tenzin squinted behind his reading glasses— _so lucky to love her. I wish I could give her more of me. More time._

 _I'd like to ask you a favour (yes I know, I have some nerve). Spoil your grandkid rotten. Write them letters, and Jinora will make sure they write back. And even if we don't have many fond memories of each other, tell them I loved them more than anything. I don't know if I would've been a crappy father or not, but God, Jinora makes me believe I wouldn't be, because loving her has made me a better person, and I just... (You don't have to worry about telling her that, either. I've written all that and more in her own letters.)_

 _I would also like to say thank you for trying, since that's more than some parents ever do. Thank you for sticking your neck out for me. Thank you for believing Jinora right away about LingShi when she told you the truth._

 _I just wish I had a better way to repay you. I know you may not like me, but you never wanted me dead, so thanks for that, too. (It's been a surprising rarity, to be the honest.)_

 _Take care of Rohan so he doesn't end up like me either. Take care of Jinora, and our child. Cut Yung some slack, too._

 _Sincerely,  
Kai_

Tenzin set the letter down and lifted his glasses, swiping his thumb under his dewy eyes. He folded the letter up carefully and tucked it back in his desk drawer.

By the gods' graces, he'd do his best to save that stupid, caring boy, not only for Jinora's sake, nor Kai's, but for everyone. For himself.

* * *

The courtroom was inside a cold, stone building full of wooden rooms and benches. Most of the crew was situated in one side of the pews, with wide, arching windows behind the seats the jury would fill. The rest of the pews were filled with LingShi's family, curious townspeople and nosy reporters.

Kai was brought in with manacles, flanked by two guards, and Jinora threw herself at him as soon as he entered the room. He could hardly hug her back, but pressed a kiss to her brow as she buried her face in his neck. Who knew when, if ever again, that she'd be able to hold him like this?

"Shh, it's okay," he whispered soothingly. "Still alive. We're okay."

He was warm and smelt like dirt and smoke as she nosed into his neck, gripping him like he was her only anchor to the rest of the world. Her north star even when her compass was close to breaking. For a moment, everything but him seemed to fade away, as she felt the steady thrum of his pulse, and his soft lips against her brow.

"It better stay that way," she murmured, before one of the guards nudged him in the side and she, the very essence of reluctant, pulled away from him. Tears were trailing down her cheeks. "I love you."

"I love you too."

He was hauled over to the defendant seat, next to where Jaya and Otaku were unpacking their briefcases. Jinora took a seat directly behind them, in between her mother and father with Yung on Tenzin's other side, and then Lee. The rest of the crew was behind them, taking up the majority of the space (Lefty, Imaru and Appa all took up a couple seats all on their own). Jinora tore her eyes away from the back of Kai's head, to glare over at LingShi, sitting on the prosecutor's side, with his father and lawyered uncle beside him, Asun and Katsu Chow.

The jury filed in soon afterwards, and she was relieved to see they weren't all rich. Six seemed to be from upper and middle class alike, with three clearly from poorer classes. Then again, if they were poor or middle class, they could be more easily bribed, but wouldn't they also be more understanding, especially after Ranshaw's article had sold so well?

She felt a wave of nausea that had nothing to do with the baby, and it wasn't helped when everyone got to their feet, expecting the judge.

Kuvira walked forwards instead, with creamy, immaculate skin and a mole under one pale green eye. Her chin was sharp and her hair was styled neatly, in a tight bun that framed her face nicely. She was a little younger than Jinora had expected for the head of the entire APA, perhaps only six or seven years old than them, but she certainly radiated power, and a deep, burning anger for all the pirates in the room, as her eyes flickered past the crew and landed on Kai. She watched him for a moment, and Jinora saw her eyes widen—perhaps she had not expected him to be so young either, or to look so much weaker than his wanted posters portrayed him—but then turned back to the front, as steadfast as ever. Her uniform was crisp and clean, the same as any other APA officer's, except a bit more grandiose to show her ranking, green with gold buttons and embroidery along the hem.

The judge trailed after her, and Carro Cato looked largely the way she remembered him. He was older than even her father, and stooped over, seemingly drowning in this black judge robes, with a milky grey stare and a dark beard with wisps of grey.

Her knees threatened to give out on her, but she took a deep breath. If Kai could do this, so could she. His fate didn't lie in Kuvira's hands, she reminded herself. They'd handle it together. It wasn't over yet.

Judge Carro approached his podium, and took up the mallet, bringing it down rather quietly, and although there had been minimal whispering before, everyone fell silent as he took his seat. "Court is now in session."

Jinora gulped, and kept her eyes on the judge, and her husband, as she ran her thumb nervously over her wedding ring.

But it would be over soon.


End file.
